Lay summary
Poor patient health prior to hospitalisation leads to longer hospital stays and increased postoperative complications, with structurally marginalised groups, including Māori, and Pacific Peoples, disproportionately affected. Optimising patient health prior to surgery through prehabilitation reduces length of hospital stay with significantly better physical and mental health outcomes. For patients living with obesity, pre-hospital programs involving high impact mobility activities may not be acceptable or feasible. This activation grant aims to 1) map out if and what is currently on offer by establishing networks with clinical teams and 2) engaging with communities to understand appropriate and acceptable types of pre-hospitalisation activities. We will engage with tangata whenua in a Te Tiriti-based partnership arrangement and have meaningful Pacific involvement. These activities will provide a strong foundation of collaboration and evidence for informing future work to examine what and how aspects of prehabilitation designed for people living with obesity enhance surgical recovery.