Abstract
Newly-developed physical activity guidelines for people with cancer were released to assist health care professionals (HCPs) in providing evidence-based physical activity recommendations to patients. Given the paucity of research examining effective strategies for physical activity guideline dissemination and implementation for HCPs, reviewing the literature for effective strategies for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), broadly defined, is required. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of CPG dissemination and implementation strategies among HCPs in the cancer care context. A comprehensive search of five electronic databases was conducted. Studies were limited to the dissemination and/or implementation of a CPG targeting cancer care HCPs. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality and coded intervention strategies using the Mazza taxonomy in the 28 included studies. Interventions used 22 of a possible 49 strategies, with a mean number of 3 strategies per intervention (SD=1.45). Educational strategies (n=19), providing reminders (n=10), and distributing the guideline (n=9) were the most utilized strategies targeting HCP behaviour. Organizational and group education strategies used as part of multi-component interventions were found to correspond with positive changes in HCP behaviour and/or patient outcomes. When used as independent intervention strategies, providing reminders and feedback on compliance corresponded with positive changes in HCP behaviour and/or patient outcomes. Future physical activity guideline dissemination and implementation interventions for cancer care HCPs may benefit from utilizing the above intervention strategies. However, exploring currently unused strategies may identify additional suitable physical activity guideline dissemination and implementation intervention strategies in the cancer care context.Acknowledgments: This study was funded by a Knowledge Translation Canada Research Project Stipend (TGF97068) awarded to JRT.