Different dimensions of religiousness/spirituality are associated with health behaviors in breast cancer survivors.

Abstract

Religiousness/spirituality (R/S) may influence cancer survivors' health through multiple pathways. We aimed to examine one potentially key pathway that has seldom been examined: relationships between survivors' R/S and their health behaviors. The present study investigated links between four core dimensions of R/S (beliefs, behaviors, identity, and coping) and three health behaviors (fruit/vegetable consumption, physical activity, and maintenance of a healthy weight) in 172 breast cancer survivors. Both spiritual identity and use of religious coping were positively related to fruit and vegetable intake, while private prayer was marginally positively related. Both service attendance and religious identity (marginally) were related to engaging in less physical activity, while private prayer was positively related. Afterlife beliefs and private prayer were positively associated with BMI. R/S has complex but meaningful associations with health behaviors in breast cancer survivors. More research is needed to understand these relationships and to determine whether different dimensions of R/S may play useful roles in lifestyle change interventions.