A research project at University of Sunshine Coast is being carried out to better understand how exercise can be integrated within Queensland cancer care to help improve current practice and ensure every Queenslander living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis has access and opportunity to exercise services.
Benefit to consumers
Understanding how exercise can best be integrated within Queensland cancer care will help to improve current practice to ensure every Queenslander living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis has access and opportunity to exercise services.
The project
The PhD project aims to explore the barriers and facilitators of integrating exercise into Queensland cancer care.
Exercise has an effective role in cancer care, with evidence for cancer prevention, enhanced survival, and management of both physical and mental consequences of treatment (i.e., fatigue, physical function, anxiety, depression).
National governing bodies urge the importance of integrating exercise as standard care, however this is yet to be achieved. Many global implementation barriers have been documented and include healthcare professionals’ lack of knowledge and negative attitudes towards exercise, limited time to discuss exercise in appointments, poorly established referral pathways and networks, low perceived advantages in practice, reduced accessibility (e.g., cost, availability, transport), and minimal resources (e.g., funding, equipment, qualified staff).
Understanding what is and what is not working within Queensland cancer care will help inform an exercise and cancer model of care and implementation plan.
Steering Committee
A steering committee has been established for this project which includes cancer care clinicians, consumers, and researchers. The steering committee contributes to the planning, development or design of the research project and ensures the project aligns with consumer and organisation priorities, preferences and needs.
The project duration is 1-2 years, with steering committee meetings anticipated to be held quarterly.
Consumer role
Project researchers are seeking to recruit up to 2 consumers.
The consumer representative(s) will hold an equal decision-making role with other members of the steering committee and will:
- Provide direction and guidance on project phases and related activities to ensure alignment with consumer preferences, needs, and priorities
- Attend meetings (virtual or in-person), approximately quarterly across the project duration (1-2 years)
- Prepare for meetings by reviewing relevant agenda items and previous meeting minutes and action items (if applicable).
Consumer remuneration
Consumers will be remunerated in line with the HCQ’s position statement at $50/hour.
Due date for Expression of Interest: 12 May 2025
Email Expression of Interest to georgia.white@research.usc.edu.au