Effectiveness of a Cancer Center Based Physical Activity Counseling Intervention in Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a cancer center-based physical activity counseling program compared to an attention control condition for (a) improving quality of life and (b) increasing physical activity levels in a rural population of breast cancer survivors. Twenty post-treatment breast cancer survivors were recruited through primarily post-treatment follow-up clinics as well as through a fitness center or university listserv, and were randomized to a cancer center based physical activity counseling program (CCB) condition or an attention control (AC) condition. Participants randomized to the CCB condition received a 20-30 minutes face-to-face physical activity counseling session using Motivational Interviewing with a trained fitness consultant at the site of recruitment. The intervention lasted four weeks and included weekly telephone calls aimed at providing motivation and exploring topics such as goal setting and overcoming barriers to physical activity. AC condition participants were also telephoned weekly to match the attention that the participants of the CCB group received. Participants in both conditions received a pedometer, weekly step logs, and a package of print materials tailored for breast cancer survivors outlining many physical activity topics (e.g., benefits and barriers of exercise, setting goals, support from others, and planning an exercise program). Participants in both conditions were instructed to record their steps every day for four weeks, and again during the eighth week after the start of the intervention during the follow-up phase. Physical activity was assessed by pedometer steps and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Quality of life was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B). Both the IPAQ and FACT-B questionnaires were administered at the time of recruitment, immediately at the end of the four week intervention, and after the follow-up phase. Significant improvements in self-reported moderate and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were noted in both conditions across the course of the intervention, while no significant improvements were seen in quality of life scores. Participants in the CCB condition had significant improvements in change scores in pedometer steps from pre-intervention to follow-up as compared with the AC condition. Based on these findings, the CCB condition was successful in increasing objectively measured physical activity in post-treatment breast cancer survivors compared to the AC condition, however it did not improve quality of life. Future efforts should include a larger sample size that better represents the general population of breast cancer survivors and a longer intervention to better determine the effectiveness of this particular intervention.