Barriers and facilitators to cancer rehabilitation for patients with head and neck or lung cancer—a scoping review mapping structural and healthcare professionals’ perspectives

Abstract

Purpose

Rehabilitation can positively affect quality of life, functional status, and physiological status for patients with head and neck or lung cancer. However, barriers and facilitators regarding access, referral, and participation in rehabilitation have not been outlined in the literature either from a healthcare professional or from a structural perspective. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to identify and map barriers and facilitators from structural and healthcare professionals’ perspectives in relation to access, referral, and participation in rehabilitation for patients with head and neck or lung cancer.

Materials and methods

Two systematic searches were conducted in five databases mapping peer-reviewed research literature.

Results

In total, 17 studies of 3918 potential sources were included. Seven themes were identified. Four themes concerned access: Understanding Patients’ Resources; Collaboration Determining Access; Education, Knowledge, and Evidence Impact Access to Rehabilitation; and Resources Affecting Availability to Rehabilitation Services. Two themes concerned referral: Referral Criteria; and Elements Affecting Referral Pathway. One theme concerned participation: Factors Influencing Participation.

Conclusion

From structural and healthcare professionals’ perspectives, barriers and facilitators impact access, referral and participation in rehabilitation. However, the findings on facilitators were limited; only one theme addressed participation and two findings concerned patients with low socioeconomic status.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Healthcare professionals should be mindful that a diverse array of barriers and facilitators may impact the rehabilitation pathway for patients with head, neck, and lung cancer.

• Engagement by healthcare professionals and structural initiatives are needed to ensure comprehensive access to information concerning rehabilitation options.

• Local guidelines should be developed to prescribe methods for informing and guiding patients towards suitable rehabilitation options.

• It is important that healthcare professionals take the individual patient’s resources into account when navigating aspects of access, referral, and participation in rehabilitation.

Keywords:

• Rehabilitation
• access
• referral
• participation
• head and neck cancer
• lung cancer
• healthcare professional
• health system

Author contributions

LJ, KSP, HKR, JA, and SN made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work and the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work. SN drafted the work. LJ, KSP, HKR, and JA revised it critically for important intellectual content. LJ, KSP, HKR, JA, and SN approved the final version to be published. LJ, KSP, HKR, JA, and SN agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.