Abstract
PurposePhysical activity (PA) has a myriad of benefits for breast cancer survivors, including a reduced risk of cancer recurrence. Latinas are less physically active than are women in the general population and little is known about Latina breast cancer survivors’ levels of PA or their beliefs related to PA. We conducted a survey of 50 Puerto Rican (PR), 50 Mexican-American (MA) and 50 non-Hispanic white (NHW) breast cancer survivors to investigate similarities and differences in PA and social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs associated with PA.Methods We collected information on current PA using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ); comorbidities; anthropometric measures of body mass index [BMI (kg/m2)] and waist-to-hip (W:H) ratio; and SCT measures, including exercise self-efficacy, exercise barriers self-efficacy, modeling and social support from friends and family. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance of differences between groups and regression models of the predictors of PA were performed.ResultsSurvivors from the three groups were similar in age (M = 56.8, SD = 11.0), BMI (M = 29.0, SD = 5.7) and co-morbidity (M = 2.09, SD = 1.69). Survivors differed in PA (p < 0.001), self-efficacy (p = 0.05), modeling (p = 0.03) and social support from family (p = 0.05). Social support from family member and exercise barriers self-efficacy were predictors of PA.Conclusions Consistent with published studies, Hispanic breast cancer survivors self-report that they are less physically active than are non-Hispanic whites. SCT variables associated with PA differ among Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanic whites. Further research is warranted in order to understand determinants of physical activity for specific ethnic breast cancer survivors.
Highlights
The US has more than 12 million cancer survivors (American Cancer Society 2012) and at least 1.8 million of those are Hispanic (American Cancer Society 2009)
Consistent with published studies in Hispanic populations not affected by cancer (Cantero et al 1999; Abraido-Lanza et al 2005), our study indicates that Hispanic breast cancer survivors are less physically active than are non-Hispanic whites
The inactivity rates of PR survivors were markedly higher than those of the MA and non-Hispanic white (NHW) survivors. This is in contrast to data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System indicating that rates of no exercise in the past 30 days are similar in Texan and Puerto Rican Hispanics
Summary
The US has more than 12 million cancer survivors (American Cancer Society 2012) and at least 1.8 million of those are Hispanic (American Cancer Society 2009). Cohort studies have shown a decreased risk of breast cancer recurrence and reduced mortality among survivors who are more active Like others who experience cancer, many breast cancer survivors who were not active before diagnosis will remain inactive, and those who were active often do not return to their previous level of activity (Schmitz et al 2010). Approximately four of every five breast cancer survivors do not meet national exercise recommendations at 10 years post-diagnosis (Mason et al 2013). Little is known about the physical activity levels of Hispanic breast cancer survivors, some studies indicate that in the general US population, Latinas report higher rates of inactivity than do non-Hispanic white women (Castro et al 1999; Crespo et al 2000)
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