Nationwide survey of cancer center programs in Korea

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate cancer centers established for the purpose of satisfying various needs about cancer, improving the cancer treatment environment, and subdividing services ranging from diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation to palliative care. To this end, the authors have surveyed programs in 17 cancer centers representing Korea, including 12 national cancer centers and five major hospitals. As a result, it was found that the most common type of lecture program was disease management, followed by health care and hospitalization, while the most common type of participation program was psychological relief, followed by physical activity. The most frequently operated type of program was found to be psychological relief, followed by physical activity and health care in the regional cancer centers, while the most frequently operated type was disease management, followed by psychological relief and health care in the five major hospitals. The proportion of physical activity was very high in two regional cancer centers, whereas five regional cancer centers did not offer physical activity programs at all. In the five major hospitals, physical activity programs were conducted regularly at least once a month or at least once a week. In addition, further studies are required to provide professional and detailed medical services for the establishment and operation of programs for cancer patient management and the environmental aspects of the hospital.

Obstructions and the Recognition of Cancer Inpatient Physical Activity Based on Exercise Experience

“…Negative exercise recognition affects the obstructions owing to the less-than-expected exercise programs for cancers. In this regard, previous works [ 24 , 25 ] have reported that patients were reluctant to take part in an exercise program if the program was contrary to their expectations. Generally, patients with cancers or other serious diseases have high expectations of diverse interventional treatments, including exercise, nutrition, and supplements, due to their strong desire to extend and recover life.…”

A study of the physical activity restriction in the cancer patients using hierarchical regression analysis

“…These results imply that the patients with positive exercise experience tend to rationalize the exercise program provided by the hospital even though it is insufficient, whereas negative exercise recognition adversely affects the exercise program for cancer patients if it does not meet the expectation of the patients. In this regard, Schwartz (1999) and Kim and Yi (2017) reported that the patients were reluctant to participate in the program if their exercise program did not meet the expectations of the patients. Because the patients with serious disease such as cancer have stronger will to extend life expectancy and to recover than patients with general diseases, they tend to have greater expectations on various interventions such as nutrition and supplements including exercise.…”

Cancer Rehabilitation Fact Sheet in Korea

“…Factors prohibiting rehabilitation treatment despite its demand include not only the absence of the appropriate referring system, but also the fact that clinicians do not recognize the need for rehabilitation and do not adequately prescribe or connect it [ 5 ]. According to a nationwide survey of cancer center programs in Korea, the types and methods of rehabilitation provided by cancer centers significantly differed based on regions and cancer type [ 9 , 10 ]. For example, more than 60% of patients with breast cancer, brain tumors, and spinal tumors receive rehabilitation services.…”