KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer
Introduction Growing evidence in pediatric oncology underscores the significant benefits of physical activity (PA) during and after treatment (Benzing et al., 2021, 2022; Wurz et al., 2021). However, physical activity promotion in acute care settings within Swiss pediatric oncology units remains un...
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Bern Open Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Issues in Sport Science |
| Online Access: | https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/11968 |
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| author | Lars Rehbein Ann Christin Schneider Christina Hillebrech Christina Schindera Amika Singh Katharina Eva Valentin Benzing |
| author_facet | Lars Rehbein Ann Christin Schneider Christina Hillebrech Christina Schindera Amika Singh Katharina Eva Valentin Benzing |
| author_sort | Lars Rehbein |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction Growing evidence in pediatric oncology underscores the significant benefits of physical activity (PA) during and after treatment (Benzing et al., 2021, 2022; Wurz et al., 2021). However, physical activity promotion in acute care settings within Swiss pediatric oncology units remains underdeveloped. To address this gap, the KiKli Fit program was developed and implemented at the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at the University Hospital Bern over the last 1.5 years. The aim of this research project was to accompany this process with implementation research to evaluate and support the integration of the developed PA program into clinical practice.
Methods This study was conducted within the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), which guided the PA program's development, implementation, and evaluation. Qualitative interviews were conducted with children, parents, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, doctors, a sport scientist leading the PA program, and two implementation leaders to gather comprehensive, multi-perspective insights. In total 15 interviews explored attitudes, perceived barriers, facilitators, and expectations regarding implementing the PA program in the pediatric oncology setting. Interview questions were tailored to each stakeholder group, ensuring relevance to their specific roles and experiences. Data was analyzed deductively using qualitative content analysis.
Results Data analysis is currently ongoing. Preliminary findings indicate strong acceptance of the PA program among stakeholders, including patients, parents, and healthcare professionals. Children and their families expressed enthusiasm for engaging in structured PA, reporting perceived benefits such as reduced treatment-related side effects, increased PA levels, and improved self-esteem. Stakeholders also highlighted challenges, including resource limitations and logistical barriers, that must be addressed for successful program integration. Notably, healthcare professionals from other hospital units, particularly those caring for children with chronic illnesses, expressed interest in adapting the intervention to benefit additional clinical populations.
Discussion/Conclusion Preliminary findings highlight the value of a participatory approach in implementing a PA program in pediatric oncology. High stakeholder acceptance and reported benefits, such as reduced side effects and improved self-esteem, demonstrate the program’s potential. The CFIR framework helped identify barriers, including logistical and resource constraints, which require attention for successful integration. Interest from other hospital units suggests the program’s broader applicability. Future efforts will focus on completing data analysis and exploring adaptations for other clinical settings.
References
Benzing, V., Siegwart, V., Anzeneder, S., Spitzhuettl, J., Grotzer, M., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Everts, R., & Schmidt, M. (2022). The mediational role of executive functions for the relationship between motor ability and academic performance in pediatric cancer survivors. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 60, 102160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102160
Benzing, V., Siegwart, V., Spitzhüttl, J., Schmid, J., Grotzer, M., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Everts, R., & Schmidt, M. (2021). Motor ability, physical self‐concept and health‐related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors. Cancer Medicine, cam4.3750. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.3750
Wurz, A., Mclaughlin, E., Lategan, C., Ellis, K., & Culos-Reed, S. N. (2021). Synthesizing the literature on physical activity among children and adolescents affected by cancer: Evidence for the international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG). Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(3), 699–708. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa136
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1c86bffb49224c078d04951cd1aa4aef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2414-6641 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Bern Open Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Issues in Sport Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-1c86bffb49224c078d04951cd1aa4aef2025-02-04T03:15:20ZengBern Open PublishingCurrent Issues in Sport Science2414-66412025-01-0110210.36950/2025.2ciss004KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric CancerLars Rehbein0Ann Christin Schneider1Christina Hillebrech2Christina Schindera3Amika Singh4Katharina Eva5Valentin Benzing6Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Science, University of Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital Inselspital Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandMulier Instituut, Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital Inselspital Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Switzerland Introduction Growing evidence in pediatric oncology underscores the significant benefits of physical activity (PA) during and after treatment (Benzing et al., 2021, 2022; Wurz et al., 2021). However, physical activity promotion in acute care settings within Swiss pediatric oncology units remains underdeveloped. To address this gap, the KiKli Fit program was developed and implemented at the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at the University Hospital Bern over the last 1.5 years. The aim of this research project was to accompany this process with implementation research to evaluate and support the integration of the developed PA program into clinical practice. Methods This study was conducted within the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), which guided the PA program's development, implementation, and evaluation. Qualitative interviews were conducted with children, parents, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, doctors, a sport scientist leading the PA program, and two implementation leaders to gather comprehensive, multi-perspective insights. In total 15 interviews explored attitudes, perceived barriers, facilitators, and expectations regarding implementing the PA program in the pediatric oncology setting. Interview questions were tailored to each stakeholder group, ensuring relevance to their specific roles and experiences. Data was analyzed deductively using qualitative content analysis. Results Data analysis is currently ongoing. Preliminary findings indicate strong acceptance of the PA program among stakeholders, including patients, parents, and healthcare professionals. Children and their families expressed enthusiasm for engaging in structured PA, reporting perceived benefits such as reduced treatment-related side effects, increased PA levels, and improved self-esteem. Stakeholders also highlighted challenges, including resource limitations and logistical barriers, that must be addressed for successful program integration. Notably, healthcare professionals from other hospital units, particularly those caring for children with chronic illnesses, expressed interest in adapting the intervention to benefit additional clinical populations. Discussion/Conclusion Preliminary findings highlight the value of a participatory approach in implementing a PA program in pediatric oncology. High stakeholder acceptance and reported benefits, such as reduced side effects and improved self-esteem, demonstrate the program’s potential. The CFIR framework helped identify barriers, including logistical and resource constraints, which require attention for successful integration. Interest from other hospital units suggests the program’s broader applicability. Future efforts will focus on completing data analysis and exploring adaptations for other clinical settings. References Benzing, V., Siegwart, V., Anzeneder, S., Spitzhuettl, J., Grotzer, M., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Everts, R., & Schmidt, M. (2022). The mediational role of executive functions for the relationship between motor ability and academic performance in pediatric cancer survivors. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 60, 102160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102160 Benzing, V., Siegwart, V., Spitzhüttl, J., Schmid, J., Grotzer, M., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Everts, R., & Schmidt, M. (2021). Motor ability, physical self‐concept and health‐related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors. Cancer Medicine, cam4.3750. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.3750 Wurz, A., Mclaughlin, E., Lategan, C., Ellis, K., & Culos-Reed, S. N. (2021). Synthesizing the literature on physical activity among children and adolescents affected by cancer: Evidence for the international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG). Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(3), 699–708. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa136 https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/11968 |
| spellingShingle | Lars Rehbein Ann Christin Schneider Christina Hillebrech Christina Schindera Amika Singh Katharina Eva Valentin Benzing KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer Current Issues in Sport Science |
| title | KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer |
| title_full | KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer |
| title_fullStr | KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer |
| title_short | KiKli Fit: Investigating the Implementation of a Physical Activity Program in Pediatric Cancer |
| title_sort | kikli fit investigating the implementation of a physical activity program in pediatric cancer |
| url | https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/11968 |
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