Dissemination, Implementation, and Effectiveness of the Exercise Oncology Survivorship Partnership Model: Reaching Rural Cancer Survivors to Enhance Quality of Life

Exercise is an evidence-based self-management strategy that benefits all cancer survivors (CS). However, the majority of research, and the limited development of evidence-based clinical or community programs in exercise and cancer, has been conducted almost exclusively in urban academic and clinical settings. Very limited implementation in "hard to reach" CS, such as those in rural or non-urban environments, has occurred. There are unique features of the rural environment that are significant barriers to cancer care in general, and to supportive cancer care resources in particular, such as: geographic diversity, isolation, limited access/travel distances to resources and facilities, and lack of trained personnel to implement survivorship services,. Rural CS (RCS), or those living in non-urban settings (defined as