Social Support and Physical Activity in the Perioperative Period and Six Months After Colorectal Cancer Surgery.

Background: According to the recommendations of the ERAS protocol, physical activity is a key behavior for pre-surgical preparation of patients. The research aimed at determining the relationship between physical activity and social support, self-efficacy, cancer symptoms in preparation for colorectal cancer resection and half a year after surgery.Methods: The research was carried out among patients with colorectal cancer. The assessment was performed in a longitudinal study, a week before the surgery (T1) (N=151) and six months after the surgery (T2) (N=105). The data was collected through the following research tools: physical activity, social support (OSS-3), self-efficacy (GSES) and the experienced cancer symptoms (Brief IPQ).Results: In a week before the surgery, social support facilitated in the time of physical activity (β=.18), whereas half a year after the surgery social support had a negative impact on the time of physical activity (β=-.20). The variable of symptoms is related to the negative effect of physical activity, and this is particularly evident in the six-month period after surgery (a week before the surgery: β=-.16; six months after the surgery: β=-.34).Conclusions: It has been shown that social support, symptoms are important for shaping physical activity in the period before colorectal cancer surgery and six months after surgery. Patients with colorectal cancer living alone have had higher levels of physical activity than patients with colorectal cancer living in a partnership. In the period after colorectal cancer surgery social support may lead patients to believe that they do not need to make any physical effort because caregivers take care of their daily responsibilities.Trial registrations: Ocalewski J, Michalska P. Social support and physical activity in the preoperative period and six months after colon cancer surgery. [Internet]. OSF; 2020. Available from: osf.io/px2zk