Group-based or individual delivery of rehabilitation after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer - satisfaction and barriers

<bold>Background:</bold> Surgical resection is central in curative intended treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Rehabilitation programmes (RP) aim to support quality of life, physical capacity, and management of symptom burden. However, current RP are heterogenous, not specifically targeted NSCLC, and optimal delivery is not yet defined. We aimed to explore group-based vs individual delivery of RP regarding satisfaction and barriers. <bold>Methods:</bold> An observational cohort study (telephone interviews; Q1 2024) in patients having had NSCLC surgery four to six months earlier (Odense University Hospital, Denmark) and having participated in RP [1]. We analysed satisfaction in group-based vs individual delivery, stratified data in high (≥75%) vs low attendance, and explored barriers within group-based delivery. <bold>Results:</bold> In total, 66 had participated in RP; group-based: 38 (58%); individual: 28 (42%). In group-based delivery, 24/38 (62%) reported to be satisfied vs 21/28 (75%) in individual delivery (p=0.31). Barriers in group-based delivery were related to lack of match with the group regarding age, physical fitness, and disease-specific issues. Low attendance (24/66; 36%) was related to lack of match in disease-specific issues (p=0.01). No differences in baseline characteristics in high vs low attendance. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> We found no difference in satisfaction in group-based vs individually delivered RP. However, low attendance was related to lack of match in disease-specific issues within group-based delivery, underlining the need for increasingly disease-specific focus in future person-centered rehabilitation models after NSCLC surgery. 1. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2024.1447767