Table 1_Psychological, social, and behavioral barriers and facilitators to prehabilitation before cancer surgery: a qualitative systematic review.docx

When mapped onto a psychological, social, and behavioral framework, psychological facilitators included regained sense of control, mood regulation, and altruistic motivation; psychological barriers encompassed fear, low self-efficacy, and illness-related distress. Social facilitators comprised family involvement, peer support, and professional encouragement; social barriers included insufficient family support and communication gaps.

Behavioral facilitators were driven by immediate progress feedback and self-monitoring; behavioral barriers included scheduling conflicts and low exercise confidence.</p>Conclusion<p>This synthesis reveals a persistent “cognitive-behavioral gap”—patients recognize the value of prehabilitation yet encounter barriers that prevent them from translating this recognition into sustained action. Addressing this gap requires integrated, multi-level strategies that enhance self-efficacy, mobilize social support, embed behavioral reinforcement mechanisms, and address systemic barriers.</p>Systematic review registration<p>crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420250650240.</p>