[Development of a grid for characterizing structures offering adapted physical activity programs for people who have had cancer]

Abstract

As the benefits of physical activity (PA) in oncology field continue to be demonstrated, multiple structures (sports clubs, associations…) develop PA programs and activities to offer cancer patients survivors the opportunity to continue adapted physical activity. Promoted in the 2014-2019 cancer plan as complementary supportive care, the practice of physical activity is legitimized by the 2016 Health Act of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, including the amendment 'prescription health sport', by giving it a legislative framework. In this context of development of new PA offers for cancer patients, it seems necessary to determine and evaluate the structures on their capacities to supervise physical activities for this population with specific needs. This article presents the methodological development and validation process of a tool used to characterize the different structures offering physical activity programs for people who have had cancer, and seeks to define the quality criteria that a structure should meet in the current state of knowledge. Ten of these criteria were selected according to a qualitative methodology and the final tool therefore facilitates the identification of quality programs in post-cancer PA, and could be used systematically by both users and professionals as part of the post-cancer care pathway, as well as by the sport-health platforms themselves in the current dynamics of their deployment throughout the national territory.

Keywords: Activité physique; Assessment; Cancer; Cancer journey; Parcours après cancer; Physical activity; Prévention tertiaire; Quality; Qualité; Tertiary prevention; Évaluation.