ABSTRACT
Background: Prehabilitation before thoracic surgery has been found to improve outcomes in patients with cancer; however, COVID-19 presented challenges to access on-site programs. We describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a synchronous, virtual mind-body prehabilitation program developed in response to COVID-19. Methods: Eligible participants were patients seen at a thoracic oncology surgical department of an academic cancer center, aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of thoracic cancer and referred at least 1 week before surgery. The program offered 2 45-minute preoperative mind-body fitness classes each week delivered via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc). We collected data for referrals, enrollment, participation, and evaluated patient-reported satisfaction and experience. We conducted brief semistructured interviews about participants' experience. Results: Among 278 patients referred, 260 were approached, and of those 197 (76%) patients agreed to participate. Among participants, 140 (71%) attended at least 1 class, with an average of 11 attendees per class. The majority of participants reported being extremely satisfied (97.8%), extremely likely to recommend the classes to others (91.2%), and indicated that classes were very much helpful in preparing for surgery (90.8%). Patients also reported that the classes helped reduce anxiety/stress (94.2%), fatigue (88.5%), pain (80.7%), and shortness of breath (86.5%). Qualitative data further suggest that the program made participants feel stronger, more connected to their peers, and better prepared for surgery. Conclusions: This virtual mind-body prehabilitation program was well received with high satisfaction and benefits and is highly feasible to implement. This approach may help overcome some of the challenges to in-person participation.
ABSTRACT
It is well documented that social interactions have a crucial impact on all aspects of personal development for adolescents, however few studies have documented how social interactions affect a young person's sense of sexual agency. The aim of the current qualitative study was to examine young people's perceptions of their own sexual agency in relation to their social media attitudes and behaviors. Participants (n = 31) were recruited from a nonprofit organization and asked to complete a one-hour in-depth interview and a demographic survey. Using an inductive method, involving constant comparison, we identified four overarching themes: (a) Participants utilize different social media platforms for distinct purposes and are cognizant of each audience; (b) Based on past experiences, participants have negotiated and created their own rules of engagement for online behavior; (c) Participants have different expectations about how others should act online versus how they act in relation to flirty or sexual messages; (d) Participants were concerned about the authenticity of online identities and are aware of vulnerability in online interactions. Our results highlight the need for sexual health researchers to observe social network etiquette closely through the lens of autonomy and agency.
