Health-promoting aftercare for AYA cancer survivors primarily focuses on physical activity and lifestyle, with psychosocial support and care planning less addressed, and is mostly in early development
What are the content and delivery methods of health-promoting aftercare developed for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors?
Health-promoting aftercare for AYA cancer survivors is currently in early development, emphasizing physical activity and lifestyle interventions delivered digitally, while highlighting a gap in psychosocial support and structured care planning.
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Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (15-39 years) experience complex physical, psychosocial, and developmental challenges. This review aimed to map health-promoting aftercare developed for this group, with a focus on their content and delivery. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, refined by Levac et al., and reported in line with PRISMA-ScR. Searches in CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubMed identified peer-reviewed primary research articles in English, published 2020–2025. Eligible studies targeted survivors aged 12-55 years, with the majority within the AYA range. In total, 15 studies were included. Results: Interventions clustered into four categories: (1) physical activity interventions, (2) lifestyle and behavioral interventions, (3) psychosocial support and self-management interventions, (4) survivorship care planning and follow-up care interventions. Of the 15 included studies, 11 were pilot or feasibility trials (including two pilot randomized controlled trials RCT), one was a full RCT, and two were protocols without reported outcomes, often delivered digitally or in a hybrid format (face-to-face and digital). Conclusions: Health-promoting aftercare for AYA cancer survivors is still in early development. Current programs emphasize physical activity and lifestyle, while psychosocial support and structured care planning are less represented. Implications for cancer survivors: Aftercare for AYA cancer survivors should be holistic, accessible, and tailored to individual needs, integrating medical follow-up, psychosocial support, and health promotion to strengthen long-term well- being.
Ingrid Fredriksson (Wed,) reported a other. Health-promoting aftercare for AYA cancer survivors primarily focuses on physical activity and lifestyle, with psychosocial support and care planning less addressed, and is mostly in early development.