# A Qualitative Study Exploring the Rehabilitation Experience of Individuals with a Previous Diagnosis of Cancer and/or Sepsis, Their Caregivers, and Health Providers

## TL;DR

This study explores the rehabilitation experiences of cancer and sepsis survivors, their caregivers, and healthcare providers, identifying gaps and barriers in rehabilitation and education.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the unmet rehabilitation needs and educational gaps for cancer and sepsis survivors.

## Key findings

- Rehabilitation experiences often failed to meet patient expectations.
- Barriers to rehabilitation exist at multiple levels, including healthcare settings and workplace culture.
- Educational resources must be specific and multi-modal to address diverse needs.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Survivors of cancer have more than double the risk of developing sepsis compared to those with no history of cancer. Those who develop sepsis have lasting side effects reducing their physical function and quality of life. Rehabilitation-related needs and barriers are unknown for individuals with cancer who have had sepsis. The aim of this study was to examine the rehabilitation-related experiences of patients with cancer and/or sepsis, their caregivers, and the healthcare team and the educational needs regarding the rehabilitation of patients with sepsis. Methods: We performed a qualitative descriptive study using interviews and focus groups for data generation. We included adults living in Canada who were English-speaking, currently or formerly diagnosed with cancer and/or sepsis, or a caregiver of someone with a current or past diagnosis of cancer and/or sepsis, or a healthcare professional working with this population. Two reviewers used NVivo software for data management and conducted a qualitative data analysis. Results: We included 30 study participants (nine patients, nine caregivers, 12 healthcare professionals; 15 for one-on-one interviews; 15 in the focus groups). We identified three overarching themes relating to rehabilitation: (1) the rehabilitation experience did not meet the patient’s care expectations; (2) barriers to rehabilitation exist on multiple levels; (3) there are important gaps in education on how to improve physical and psychosocial outcomes. We identified two themes related to educational resources: (1) the educational content provided must be specific and meaningful; (2) multi-modal resources are needed to suit diverse partner needs. Conclusions: We identified rehabilitation barriers related to healthcare settings, the pandemic, and workplace culture for those with cancer and sepsis. This study highlights the need to create diverse educational resources on rehabilitation for those with sepsis to improve outcomes and patient/caregiver satisfaction.