Speed-Andrews, A., Rhodes, R., Blanchard, C., Culos-Reed, N., Friedenreich, C., Belanger, L. & Courneya, C.
Français
Background : Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer. In 2008, an estimated 21,500 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 8,900 will die of it (Canadian Cancer Society, 2008). Despite the relatively high mortality rates, the prospects of surviving have improved significantly over the last few decades. Unfortunately, medical interventions to improve survival are often accompanied by a host of negative side effects, including decrements in quality of life (QoL), and increased risk for second cancers and other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. Importance: Several recent prospective studies have indicated that postdiagnosis physical activity (PA) is associated with a significant reduction in cancer recurrence, lower mortality, and improved QoL (Meyerhardt et al, 2006; Lynch et al. 2008). Despite increasing evidence for the favorable effects of PA in cancer survivor groups, prevalence rates for PA posttreatment range from 20 to 30% (Belizzi et al., 2005, Coups et al., 2005). Given the low PA participation rates in many cancer survivor groups, researchers have turned their attention to understanding the correlates of PA in cancer survivors. Understanding the key correlates of PA in cancer survivors is a critical first step to developing theory based behavior change interventions; however no studies to date have taken a comprehensive approach to examining PA and sport (PAS) correlates in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. Sport participation is an understudied avenue in terms of promoting PA for health in cancer survivors. Purpose: The overall aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive population based survey of the correlates of PAS participation in CRC survivors. In this survey we plan to identify: (a) the pattern and prevalence rates of PAS in CRC survivors including sports participation, (b) the demographic, medical, behavioral and social cognitive determinants of PAS participation within a social ecological framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, 1991), (c) the most common motives and barriers to PAS including those specific to sports participation, and (d) the counseling and programming preferences for PAS including those specific to sports participation. Methods: The research design is a cross-sectional population-based mailed survey. The Alberta Cancer Registry was used to identify all eligible CRC-S residing in Alberta. Participants were eligible if they were: (a) at least 18 years of age, (b) diagnosed in 2004, (c) able to complete a questionnaire in English, and (d) completed all adjuvant therapies. N = 2000 CRC survivors were mailed a self-report comprehensive survey assessing PAS participation, preferences, demographic, medical, environmental, and social cognitive variables from the TPB. Results: Of 2,000 mailed surveys, n = 228 were returned as wrong address, n = 8 were deceased, and n = 1 had no history of CRC, reducing the eligible sample size to n = 1763. Thus far, a total of n = 630 have returned the survey yielding an initial response rate of 36.3% (630/1763). Data are in the process of being entered and cleaned for analysis. Of the 630 returned, 7 will be excluded from analysis on account of insufficient data, reducing the evaluable data set to 623. Implications: Our survey study of CRC survivors is designed to specifically inform PAS behavior change interventions in this population. The data will help determine the theoretical variables salient to promoting PAS participation and whether variables differ by PA and sport. The data will also help determine if interventions need to be targeted specifically to personal factors (e.g. disease stage, age, sex and environment). Moreover, the data will help to determine preferences for sports and whether the promotion of sports is a viable alternative for meeting recommendations for PA in CRC survivors.
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