Optimizing Lifestyle Before and After Surgery: A Qualitative Stakeholder Analysis Among Healthcare Professionals

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Medical Education
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Lifestyle interventions are vital for patients with cancer or osteoarthritis.
• Prehabilitation optimizes patient health before surgery, enhancing perioperative care.
• Integrating lifestyle changes into prehabilitation is crucial for surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore healthcare professionals' perspectives on lifestyle interventions within prehabilitation.
• To identify optimal content and delivery contexts for these interventions.
• To understand barriers and enablers for patient engagement in lifestyle changes.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 25 healthcare professionals.
• Utilized the COM-B model to assess capability, opportunity, and motivation for behavior change.
• Employed thematic analysis to identify key themes in professional experiences and perceptions.

Main Results:

• Professionals stressed the need for tailored advice and social support integration.
• Key barriers included limited time, insufficient communication training, and organizational issues.
• Effective communication, involving loved ones, and multidisciplinary collaboration were identified as enablers.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare professionals require enhanced communication training and structured support systems.
• Personalized, patient-centered approaches are essential to address socioeconomic and literacy barriers.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration and optimized organizational structures can facilitate lifestyle intervention delivery.