title: Yoga in adult cancer: an exploratory, qualitative analysis of the patient experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some patients receiving treatment in conventional health care systems access therapeutic yoga outside their mainstream care to improve cancer symptoms. Given the current knowledge gap around patient preferences and documented experiences of yoga in adult cancer, this study aimed to describe patient-reported benefits, barriers and characteristics of programming for yoga practice during conventional treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In depth semi-structured interviews (n=10) were conducted in men and women recruited from cancer care clinics in Vancouver, Canada using a purposive sampling technique. The exploratory interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using Interpretive Description methodology and constant comparative analysis methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes emerged from the data to address our research objectives: patient-perceived benefits of yoga, reasons and motivations for practising yoga, hurdles and barriers to practising yoga, and advice for effective yoga program delivery in adult cancer. Several patients reported yoga reduced stress and other symptoms associated with cancer treatment. Thematic analysis found the social dimension of group yoga was important, as well as yoga's ability to encourage personal empowerment and awareness of physical body and self. Barriers to yoga adherence from the patient perspective included lack of time, scheduling conflicts and worries about financial burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This small, diverse sample of patients reported positive experiences and no adverse effects following yoga practice for management of cancer and its symptoms. Results of this qualitative study identified patient-reported preferences, barriers and characteristics of yoga intervention optimal during adult cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Kellogg College, University of Oxford, 62 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PN, United Kingdom. marcy.mccall@kellogg.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marcy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, T213-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, V6T 2B5, British Columbia.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thorne
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, University of Oxford, New Radcliffe House, 2nd floor, Walton Street, Jericho, OX2 6NW, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, University of Oxford, New Radcliffe House, 2nd floor, Walton Street, Jericho, OX2 6NW, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heneghan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015013:Yoga / Q000523:psychology*