A Lifestyle Intervention via Email in Minority Breast Cancer Survivors: Randomized Parallel-Group Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Our data have indicated that minority breast cancer survivors are receptive to participating in lifestyle interventions delivered via email or the Web, yet few Web-based studies exist in this population. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and preliminary results of an email-delivered diet and activity intervention program, "A Lifestyle Intervention Via Email (ALIVE)," delivered to a sample of racial and ethnic minority breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Survivors (mean age: 52 years, 83% [59/71] African American) were recruited and randomized to receive either the ALIVE program's 3-month physical activity track or its 3-month dietary track. The fully automated system provided tools for self-monitoring and goal setting, tailored content, and automated phone calls. Descriptive statistics and mixed-effects models were computed to examine the outcomes of the study. RESULTS: Upon completion, 44 of 71 survivors completed the study. Our "intention-to-treat" analysis revealed that participants in the physical activity track made greater improvements in moderate to vigorous activity than those in the dietary track (+97 vs. +49 min/week, P<.001). Similarly, reductions in total sedentary time among those in the physical activity track (-304 vs. -59 min/week, P<.001) was nearly 5 times greater than that for participants in the dietary track. Our completers case analysis indicated that participants in the dietary track made improvements in the intake of fiber (+4.4 g/day), fruits and vegetables (+1.0 cup equivalents/day), and reductions in saturated fat (-2.3 g/day) and trans fat (-0.3 g/day) (all P<.05). However, these improvements in dietary intake were not significantly different from the changes observed by participants in the physical activity track (all P>.05). Process evaluation data indicated that most survivors would recommend ALIVE to other cancer survivors (97%), were satisfied with ALIVE (82%), and felt that ALIVE was effective (73%). However, survivors expressed concerns about the functionality of the interactive emails. CONCLUSIONS: ALIVE appears to be feasible for racial and ethnic minority cancer survivors and showed promising results for larger implementation. Although survivors favored the educational content, a mobile phone app and interactive emails that work on multiple email domains may help to boost adherence rates and to improve satisfaction with the Web-based platform. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02722850; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02722850 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6tHN9VsPh).

Pathways between physical activity and quality of life in African-American breast cancer survivors.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have indicated that the relationship between physical activity and quality of life is not directed but mediated through various pathways. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of cancer-related fatigue, disability, and functional status as potential mediators in African-American breast cancer survivors. METHODS: African-American breast cancer survivors (N = 135, mean age = 63) aged 55 years and older participated in a web-based survey consisting of measures assessing physical activity, functional status, cancer-related fatigue, disability, quality of life, and sociodemographic and medical characteristics. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the structural relationships among the constructs. RESULTS: The initial structural model fit the data and revealed a significant relationship between physical activity and quality of life (ß = 0.34, P < 0.01). Subsequent structural models with proposed complementary and mediating paths of fatigue, function, and disability fit the data. The adjusted model indicated that physical activity was no longer associated with quality of life (ß = 0.11, P > 0.05) and mediated through pathways of functional status and fatigue (total ß = 0.16, P < 0.01). The final adjusted model accounted for 32 % of the variance in quality of life. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that physical activity may be indirectly related to quality of life through pathways consisting of fatigue and functional status. Further longitudinal studies are needed to test the pathways through which varying levels of physical activity influence cancer-related and quality of life outcomes in minority cancer survivors.

Construct Validity of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument in African American Breast Cancer Survivors.

Limited data exist on the validity of the Late-Life Function and Disability (LLFD) instrument in cancer survivors. We examined the construct validity of the abbreviated LLFD instrument in a sample of African-American breast cancer survivors. African American breast cancer survivors (n = 181) aged 50 years and older completed the abbreviated LLFD instrument and questions about sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach alphas, and structural models were used to evaluate the construct validity of these measures. Minor modifications were made to the three-factor functional component portion of the inventory to improve model fit. Cronbach alpha's (range 0.85-0.92) and inter-factor correlations (r = 0.3-0.5, all p < 0.05) were appropriate. The two-factor disability component fit the data and Cronbach alpha's (0.91 and 0.98) were appropriate with a high inter-factor correlation (r = 0.95, p < 0.01). The average variance extracted (range = 0.55-0.93) and composite reliabilities (range = 0.86-0.98) were in acceptable ranges. Floor effects ranged from 7% for advanced lower function to 74% for personal role disability. Education and number of comorbidities were correlated significantly with functional outcomes. The abbreviated LLFD instrument had adequate construct validity in this sample of African American breast cancer survivors. Further studies are needed that examine the stability of the instrument over time.