Integration of Palliative Rehabilitation in Cancer into Clinical Practice

This scientific poster presents findings from research conducted within the INSPIRE project (Integrated Short-Term Palliative Rehabilitation in Incurable Cancer), examining how palliative rehabilitation in cancer (PR-C) is understood and integrated into clinical practice across five European countries: Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. The study aimed to compare the understanding of PR-C and its integration into official documents and clinical practice across the participating countries. A concurrent mixed-methods design was used, comprising three sub-studies: Document analysis: Review of 23 official documents. Stakeholder interviews: 22 interviews exploring perspectives on palliative rehabilitation and its integration into healthcare services. Online survey: Responses from 225 participants examining current practices and indicators of integration. Data from the three sub-studies were analysed separately and subsequently combined into a synthesis. The findings revealed a common understanding of several key components of palliative rehabilitation, including the importance of multidimensional, individualised interventions, multiprofessional collaboration and care based on patients' needs and goals. However, the study also identified challenges in distinguishing palliative rehabilitation from existing palliative care services. Integration into clinical practice remains limited, particularly between different healthcare levels. Barriers include insufficient access for patients, limited inclusion in established care pathways and funding challenges. The study concludes that greater conceptual clarity, including within official documents, is needed to support more consistent integration of palliative rehabilitation into clinical practice and across healthcare settings. The poster was prepared by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, on behalf of the INSPIRE Consortium.