Background: Cancer survival is often accompanied by late effects that can be mitigated by tailored rehabilitation. In Norway, this has traditionally been offered as residential programs, whereas community-based cancer rehabilitation programs are lacking.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed community-based multidimensional cancer rehabilitation program in Norway.
Methods: A feasibility study with a mixed methods explanatory sequential design was implemented. The intervention was a 12-week group-based rehabilitation program comprising 5 components: goal setting, physical exercise, psychoeducation, individual follow-up consultations, and peer support. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment, retention, and intervention delivery. Acceptability was assessed through intervention adherence and participant evaluation. Qualitative data were generated from focus group interviews. Statistical analyses were descriptive, and qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed using framework analyses.
Results: Sixty participants started, and 55 completed the 12-week rehabilitation program. The majority were female (80%), and the mean age was 56 years. The largest diagnostic group was breast cancer (42%). Retention was high (92%), as were adherence rates for all intervention components. The exercise component was rated the most beneficial, followed by individual consultations and peer support. Qualitative findings contributed to explaining the high adherence and positive evaluation.
Conclusion: High retention, strong adherence, and positive evaluation imply that the community-based program was feasible and acceptable to cancer survivors.
Implication for practice: The results will aid intervention refinement and contribute to a future randomized controlled trial to examine its effectiveness. If successful, the rehabilitation program could be implemented in the Norwegian Cancer Pathway "Home."
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