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Undergraduate Curriculum Designed to Facilitate a Cancer Exercise Rehabilitation Program

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Abstract

In 2030, more than 22.1 million cancer survivors are expected to reside in the USA. A workforce knowledgeable in the unique issues of oncologic exercise design and delivery will help to fulfill the need for services that improve survivor health, prognosis, and quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this project was to describe the application of a cancer exercise rehabilitation training program on student performance benchmarks and patient outcomes. Thirty-seven kinesiology students were taught how to design an exercise program for cancer patients through face-to-face instruction (10 h) and online material. Students created and delivered exercise prescriptions to cancer patients (n = 111) over 12 weeks. Surveys evaluating student performance, patient fitness, and patient psychosocial outcomes were used to assess students’ skill proficiency, ability to apply newly acquired knowledge, and academic/professional growth. A 2-way ANOVA evaluating student performance scores revealed a significant main effect of time (F(1, 165) = 22.92, p < 0.001), indicating that student performance was improved. Post hoc tests showed the “skill proficiency, knowledge and exercise leadership” dimension was significantly improved (p < 0.0001). Cancer patients had significant improvements in body composition, muscular function, flexibility, and balance (p < 0.05). Students succeeded in tasks directly related to content learned in prerequisite kinesiology courses, while 3 weeks was required for students to become proficient in clinic-related duties. Ninety percent of the students reported that the internship was an excellent learning experience. The curriculum was successful in teaching students how to design and implement exercise programs that improve cancer patient fitness and QOL.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, PY, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the iCARE interns from the University of Hawaii (Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science Department) for their dedication to the program and their honest feedback. The authors would also like to thank the participants for their support and trust.

Funding

This study was funded by the Hubert Everly Foundation, an internal mechanism of the College of Education at the University of Hawaii, Author 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science (KRS), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1337 Lower Campus Road PE/A 231, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Paulette M. Yamada & Ariimana Temanaha

  2. Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, 226 North Kuakini Street, Honolulu, HI, 96817, USA

    Cheri Teranishi-Hashimoto & Ariimana Temanaha

Authors
  1. Paulette M. Yamada
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  2. Cheri Teranishi-Hashimoto
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  3. Ariimana Temanaha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paulette M. Yamada.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards (University of Hawaii, IRB # 2018–00167).

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors 1, 2, and 3 agreed with contents and provided consent to submit this work.

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Yamada, P.M., Teranishi-Hashimoto, C. & Temanaha, A. Undergraduate Curriculum Designed to Facilitate a Cancer Exercise Rehabilitation Program. J Canc Educ 37, 1009–1018 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01913-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01913-z

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