Active Living After Cancer: Converting a group physical activity intervention for cancer survivors to a virtual format in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Abstract

261 Background: Active Living After Cancer (ALAC) is an evidence-based group program to help cancer survivors improve their physical functioning and quality of life through increasing physical activity. It has enrolled over 800 cancer survivors in the Houston and El Paso areas. The program prioritizes serving minority and medically underserved survivors and is offered in both English and Spanish. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic we converted the program to a virtual format. Here we report preliminary data on the outcomes of the virtual program. Methods: ALAC teaches cognitive and behavioral skills for increasing physical activity to cancer survivors through 12 group sessions. We converted the group sessions to a virtual format using the Zoom platform. Group attendance was monitored by health educators teaching the program, and participants completed questionnaires and did a 30-sec sit-to-stand test before and after the program to assess outcomes (physical activity, quality of life, physical functioning, program satisfaction). We compared outcomes for the virtual groups to those of previous in-person groups. Results: Five classes with 32 participants were started as in-person groups and converted to virtual. The dropout rate was higher (37.5%) in the virtual groups, compared to in-person groups (23.1%). However, both in-person and virtual group participants showed similar increases in physical activity, physical functioning, physical quality of life, and had high satisfaction (see table). Conclusions: Preliminary data indicate that the virtual format is feasible and produces similar outcomes when compared to the in-person format, although drop-out is higher in the virtual format. Virtual group participants may experience fewer mental health benefits (although this could be due to the stress of the pandemic). Additional analyses will include current participants who are completing all sessions virtually. [Table: see text]