Influencing Factors for Physical Activity in People With Head and Neck Cancer (ProAct-HNC)

Exploring Influencing Factors for Physical Activity Participation in People With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer - a Qualitative Study

The goal of this qualitative study is to explore influencing factors for physical activity (PA) participation in people affected by an advanced head and neck cancer from the perspective of people affected and their significant others.

Individual interviews will be conducted with people affected by head and neck cancer and focus group interviews will be held with significant others of people being affected to answer the following research questions:

• What capabilities and opportunities for physical activity participation do people with advanced head and neck cancer experience?
• What motivates people with advanced head and neck cancer to be physically active?
• What are recommendations and suggestions for a future physical activity promotion intervention?
• How do significant others view capabilities, opportunities, and motivation for physical activity participation and promotion in people with head and neck cancer?

The interviews will be transcribed verbatim and analysed with a structuring content analysis approach.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Detailed Description

see attached study protocol

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 20

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Switzerland
  • Canton of Zurich
    • Winterthur, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
      • Kantonsspital Winterthur

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

individual interview participants: 12 individuals with a diagnosis of a stage III or IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, after surgery & (chemo)radiotherapy

focus group interview participants: 8 significant others (partner, spouse, close familiy member or friend) of individuals with a diagnosis of a stage III or IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Description

Inclusion criteria for people with head and neck cancer:

• minimal age 18
• diagnosis of a primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma within the last 24 months
• oral, pharyngeal, or laryngeal cancer stage III or IV
• completed surgery and/or radio(chemo)therapy in curative intent

Exclusion criteria for people with head and neck cancer:

• not having the physical, mental, and cognitive ability to understand, follow and hold a conversation in (Swiss-)German
• treatment in palliative intent
• recurrence of the head and neck tumour (local or distant)

Inclusion criteria for significant others of people with head and neck cancer:

• minimal age 18
• being a significant other (partner, spouse, close family member or friend) of an individual with a head and neck cancer with the above-mentioned criteria
• having the permission of the individual affected by head and neck cancer to talk about their experiences

Exclusion criteria for significant others of people with head and neck cancer:

- not having the physical, mental, and cognitive ability to understand, follow and take part in a group discussion in (Swiss-)German

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
interview transcripts	individual interviews and focus group interviews will be transcribed verbatim to be analyzed	March 2024- May 2025

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
personal information of participants	characteristics of interview and focus group participants will be collected to be able to describe the study participants, including age, education level, cancer stage, treatment received, activity levels	March 2024- May 2025

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kantonsspital Winterthur KSW
• Collaborators: UMC Utrecht; University of Lausanne; Zurich University of Applied Sciences; University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland; Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Martina Schmocker, MSc, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Switzerland

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 30, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): July 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 15, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 15, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): February 22, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): August 29, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 28, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical activity; health promotion; qualitative research; interviews; focus groups
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity
• Other Study ID Numbers: ProAct-HNC-02

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No