This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Save to my personal folders Download to citation manager Rights & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bellizzi, K. M. Articles by McNeel, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bellizzi, K. M. Articles by McNeel, T. Social Bookmarking                            What's this?

Health Behaviors of Cancer Survivors: Examining Opportunities for Cancer Control Intervention

From the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, and Office of Cancer Survivorship, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda; and Information Management Services Inc, Silver Spring, MD.

Address reprint requests to Keith M. Bellizzi, PhD, MPH, MA, Office of Cancer Survivorship, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 404, Bethesda, MD 20892; e-mail: bellizzk{at}mail.nih.gov

PURPOSE: A population-based investigation was conducted to examine the prevalence of health behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and cancer screening) of cancer survivors by age, time since diagnosis, and cancer site. Understanding health behaviors of survivors is imperative, as many survivors are living longer and are at risk for cancer recurrence, second cancers, and complications from treatment.

METHODS: Using the National Health Interview Survey, this study examined the prevalence of smoking and alcohol use as well as whether cancer survivors (n = 7,384) are meeting current recommendations for physical activity and cancer screening compared with noncancer controls (n = 121,347).

RESULTS: Cancer survivors are similar to controls with respect to smoking status and alcohol consumption after adjusting for group differences. However, younger survivors (18 to 40 years) are at greater risk for continued smoking than controls. Survivors are 9% more likely to meet physical activity recommendations compared with controls. ² tests indicate no significant differences in smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity by time since diagnosis, but differences by cancer site exist. Female cancer survivors are 34% and 36% more likely to meet mammogram and Papanicolaou smear screening recommendations, respectively, compared with controls. Similar screening patterns were found for prostate-specific antigen screening in men.

CONCLUSION: This study provides benchmark approximations of the prevalence of risky health behaviors of survivors by time since diagnosis and cancer site. As part of the collective effort to reduce late effects of cancer treatment, oncologists may be in the best position to offer initial guidance for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors among cancer survivors.

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest are found at the end of this article.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. C. Morey, D. C. Snyder, R. Sloane, H. J. Cohen, B. Peterson, T. J. Hartman, P. Miller, D. C. Mitchell, and W. Demark-Wahnefried Effects of Home-Based Diet and Exercise on Functional Outcomes Among Older, Overweight Long-term Cancer Survivors: RENEW: A Randomized Controlled Trial JAMA, May 13, 2009; 301(18): 1883 - 1891. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Cox, M. M. Hudson, A. Mertens, K. Oeffinger, J. Whitton, M. Montgomery, and L. L. Robison Medical Screening Participation in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Arch Intern Med, March 9, 2009; 169(5): 454 - 462. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Bellizzi, J. H. Rowland, N. K. Arora, A. S. Hamilton, M. F. Miller, and N. M. Aziz Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Adult Survivors of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma J. Clin. Oncol., February 20, 2009; 27(6): 960 - 966. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. W. Smith, C. M. Alfano, B. B. Reeve, M. L. Irwin, L. Bernstein, K. Baumgartner, D. Bowen, A. McTiernan, and R. Ballard-Barbash Race/Ethnicity, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., February 1, 2009; 18(2): 656 - 663. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M L Irwin Physical activity interventions for cancer survivors Br. J. Sports Med., January 1, 2009; 43(1): 32 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. McFall and M. Davila Gender, Social Ties, and Cancer Screening Among Elderly Persons J Aging Health, December 1, 2008; 20(8): 997 - 1011. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. E. Mosher, I. M. Lipkus, R. Sloane, W. E. Kraus, D. C. Snyder, B. Peterson, L. W. Jones, and W. Demark-Wahnefried Cancer Survivors' Health Worries and Associations with Lifestyle Practices J Health Psychol, November 1, 2008; 13(8): 1105 - 1112. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. L. Park, D. Edmondson, J. R. Fenster, and T. O . Blank Positive and Negative Health Behavior Changes in Cancer Survivors: A Stress and Coping Perspective J Health Psychol, November 1, 2008; 13(8): 1198 - 1206. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. M. Blanchard, K. S. Courneya, and K. Stein Cancer Survivors' Adherence to Lifestyle Behavior Recommendations and Associations With Health-Related Quality of Life: Results From the American Cancer Society's SCS-II J. Clin. Oncol., May 1, 2008; 26(13): 2198 - 2204. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Eiser Beyond Survival: Quality of Life and Follow-up After Childhood Cancer J. Pediatr. Psychol., October 1, 2007; 32(9): 1140 - 1150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. L. Tyc Strategies for Tobacco Control Among Youngsters with Cancer J. Pediatr. Psychol., October 1, 2007; 32(9): 1067 - 1078. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Demark-Wahnefried, E. C. Clipp, I. M. Lipkus, D. Lobach, D. C. Snyder, R. Sloane, B. Peterson, J. M. Macri, C. L. Rock, C. M. McBride, et al. Main Outcomes of the FRESH START Trial: A Sequentially Tailored, Diet and Exercise Mailed Print Intervention Among Breast and Prostate Cancer Survivors J. Clin. Oncol., July 1, 2007; 25(19): 2709 - 2718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bleyer Young Adult Oncology: The Patients and Their Survival Challenges CA Cancer J Clin, July 1, 2007; 57(4): 242 - 255. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. J. McCarthy A Step in the Maturation of the Field of Lifestyle Change Interventions J. Clin. Oncol., June 10, 2007; 25(17): 2338 - 2339. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. K.H. Vallance, K. S. Courneya, R. C. Plotnikoff, Y. Yasui, and J. R. Mackey Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Print Materials and Step Pedometers on Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors J. Clin. Oncol., June 10, 2007; 25(17): 2352 - 2359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. B. Mariotto, J. H. Rowland, L. A.G. Ries, S. Scoppa, and E. J. Feuer Multiple Cancer Prevalence: A Growing Challenge in Long-term Survivorship Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., March 1, 2007; 16(3): 566 - 571. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. B. Stull, D. C. Snyder, and W. Demark-Wahnefried Lifestyle Interventions in Cancer Survivors: Designing Programs That Meet the Needs of This Vulnerable and Growing Population J. Nutr., January 1, 2007; 137(1): 243S - 248S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Demark-Wahnefried, B. M. Pinto, and E. R. Gritz Promoting Health and Physical Function Among Cancer Survivors: Potential for Prevention and Questions That Remain J. Clin. Oncol., November 10, 2006; 24(32): 5125 - 5131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Rowland and R. Yancik Cancer survivorship: the interface of aging, comorbidity, and quality care. J Natl Cancer Inst, April 19, 2006; 98(8): 504 - 505. [Full Text] [PDF]