Table 2.
Identified inductive and deductive categories and their most reported codes using a summative content analysis approach.
| Category | Total category count and frequency∗ (n=76), n (%) | Most reported code(s) | Code count and frequency† (n=76), n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inductive approach | |||
| Surgical period | 74 (97) | Preoperative | 37 (49) |
| Physical activity | 55 (72) | Exercise/exercise training | 25 (33) |
| Descriptor of prehabilitation | 32 (42) | Intervention | 16 (21) |
| Increase function | 28 (37) | Enhance/improve/augment functional capacity | 17 (22) |
| Withstand stress | 20 (26) | Withstand a stressful event/stressor of surgery | 11 (15) |
| Continuous (from diagnosis to treatment) | 18 (24) | Process | 12 (16) |
| Improve reserve | 18 (24) | Enhance/increase/optimise physiological reserve | 8 (11) |
| Optimise nutrition | 13 (17) | Nutrition/nutrition support | 6 (8) |
| Delivery modal | 13 (17) | Multimodal | 6 (8) |
| Improve outcomes | 11 (15) | Improve postoperative outcomes | 4 (5) |
| Respiratory training | 10 (13) | Pulmonary rehabilitation | 3 (4) |
| Inspiratory muscle training | 3 (4) | ||
| Psychological | 10 (13) | Anxiety-reducing strategies | 2 (3) |
| Psychological intervention | 2 (3) | ||
| Reduce stress and anxiety | 2 (3) | ||
| Recovery | 10 (13) | Facilitate recovery of functional capacity | 2 (3) |
| Rehabilitation | 7 (9) | Rehabilitation | 4 (5) |
| Medical optimisation | 5 (7) | Optimisation of medical conditions | 1 (1) |
| Smoking cessation | 1 (1) | ||
| Medical support | 1 (1) | ||
| Medical management | 1 (1) | ||
| Weight loss | 1 (1) | ||
| Treatment benefits | 4 (5) | Benefits/beneficial effect | 3 (4) |
| Attenuate deterioration | 4 (5) | Reduce patient disability | 1 (1) |
| Reduce the incidence or severity of future impairments | 1 (1) | ||
| Ameliorate the post-surgical physiologic deterioration | 1 (1) | ||
| Prevent or attenuate functional decline | 1 (1) | ||
| Behavioural support | 4 (5) | Behavioural support | 2 (3) |
| Education | 3 (4) | Education/education program | 3 (4) |
| Personalised to population | 3 (4) | For patients with lower fitness | 1 (1) |
| Varies according to context and the patient's needs | 1 (1) | ||
| Older patients with frailty | 1 (1) | ||
| Baseline function | 2 (3) | Establish a baseline functional level | 1 (1) |
| Identify impairments | 1 (1) | ||
| Cost | 1 (1) | Reduce financial burden on the health system | 1 (1) |
| Lifestyle modification | 1 (1) | Lifestyle modification | 1 (1) |
| Deductive approach | |||
| Purpose/goal | 104 (137) | Enhance functional capacity/aerobic capacity/physical fitness | 28 (37) |
| Improve postoperative outcomes | 17 (22) | ||
| Combat surgical stressors | 15 (20) | ||
| Intervention type | 77 (101) | Exercise/physical activity | 42 (55) |
| Nutrition | 12 (16) | ||
| Psychological | 7 (9) | ||
| Medical optimisation | 5 (7) | ||
| Education | 3 (4) | ||
| Timing | 51 (67) | Before surgery/preoperative | 47 (62) |
| Descriptor | 47 (62) | Program | 14 (18) |
| Process | 12 (16) | ||
| Intervention | 8 (11) | ||
| Target population | 4 (5) | Patients with lower preoperative fitness | 1 (1) |
| Older patients with frailty | 1 (1) | ||
| Individualised to patients' needs and context | 1 (1) | ||
| Surgical patients | 1 (1) | ||
∗Total category count and frequency: number of times codes within a specific category was reported across 76 trials. †Total code count and frequency: number of times a code was reported across 76 trials; studies may report multiple codes in one category.