Barriers and facilitators of improved nutritional support for patients newly diagnosed with cancer: a pre-implementation study

Abstract

Background Disease-related malnutrition affects a significant number of patients with cancer and poses a major social problem worldwide. Despite both global and national guidelines to prevent and treat malnutrition, the prevalence is high, ranging from 20 to 70% in all patients with cancer. This study aimed to explore the current practice of nutritional support for patients with cancer at a large university hospital in Norway and to explore potential barriers and facilitators of the intervention in the Green Approach to Improved Nutritional support for patients with cancer (GAIN), prior to implementation in a clinical setting.

Methods The study used individual interviews and a focus group discussion to collect data. Study participants included different healthcare professionals and patients with cancer treated at a nutrition outpatient clinic. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to guide the thematic data analysis.

Results Barriers connected to the current nutritional support were limited resources and undefined roles concerning responsibility for providing nutritional support among healthcare professionals. Facilitators included a desire for change regarding the current nutritional practice. The GAIN intervention was perceived as feasible for patients and healthcare professionals. Potential barriers included limited knowledge of technology, lack of motivation among patients, and a potential added burden experienced by the participating patients.

Conclusions The identification of the potential barriers and facilitators of the current nutritional support to patients with cancer will be used to plan the implementation of improved nutritional support in a randomized controlled trial for patients with cancer prior to clinical implementation. The current findings may be of value to others trying to implement either or both nutritional support and digital application tools in a clinical healthcare setting.

Trial registration The study was registered in the National Institutes of Health Clinical trials 08/09/22. The identification code is NCT05544318.