JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Physical activity has proven benefits for cancer patients’ recovery. There is a need to implement programs that can reach cancer survivors to improve their functioning and recovery. We have previously demonstrated that a 3-month peer-delivered PA program (Moving Forward Together, MFT) significantly increased breast cancer survivors’ moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA).

Objective:

Our goal is to scale up this program by adapting an existing peer mentoring web platform for MFT: Mentor1to1™.

Methods:

In Phase 1 of this two-phase study, we will interview 4 peer mentors/coaches with experience delivering MFT and use their feedback to create webMFT. Next, another 4 coaches will participate in rapid, iterative user-centered testing of webMFT. In Phase 2, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial by recruiting and training 10-12 coaches from cancer organizations to deliver webMFT to 56 breast cancer survivors, who will be assigned to receive either webMFT or MVPA Tracking (control) for 3 months. We will assess effectiveness with survivors’ accelerometer measured MVPA and self-reported psychosocial well-being at baseline and 3 months. We will assess implementation outcomes, including acceptability, feasibility and program costs from the perspective of survivors, coaches, and collaborating organizations, as guided by the expanded Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

Results:

Not available.

Conclusions:

The quantitative and qualitative data collected from cancer survivors, coaches and organizations will be analyzed to inform a future larger scale trial of peer mentoring for PA delivered by cancer care organizations to survivors. Clinical Trial: clinicaltrials.gov (Pro00117242)