in summary, a significant proportion of patients with end-stage OA have osteoporosis but this diagnosis may be missed unless BMD measurements are performed at sites distant from joints affected by OA.
Interventions offering peer mentoring programmes promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) have shown improvements in MVPA and well-being from baseline; however, research is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity (PA) levels and psychosocial well-being of coaches and participants at baseline and following a 12-week intervention. Breast cancer survivors (<5 years) were recruited and randomised into either exercise (Reach-to-Recovery (RTR) + PA) or control (RTR Control). Participants in both groups were individually assigned one of the 18 available coaches who delivered either the MVPA intervention or the control condition via telephone. PA (7-Day PA Recall), psychosocial well-being, fatigue and mood were assessed at baseline and intervention completion. Seventy-six breast cancer survivors (average age = 55.62 (±9.55)) were randomised. At baseline, all participants showed significantly lower MVPA (p = .001) and well-being (p < .05) as compared to coaches. However, post-intervention showed significant improvement in PA and well-being in RTR + PA, so that they were no longer significantly different from the coaches. Post-intervention, MVPA (p < .01), quality of life (p < .05) and fatigue (p < .05) remained significantly lower in RTR Controls compared to coaches. Future interventions should consider the behavioural patterns not only of the participants, but also of those who deliver the interventions.
Background
Peer support can extend the reach of physical activity (PA) interventions. In previous studies, peer support via weekly counseling calls increased PA at 3 and 6 months among breast cancer survivors, compared to contact control. However, effects were attenuated at 6 months. Interventions targeting PA maintenance among cancer survivors are limited. Hence, we extended prior work to identify effective PA maintenance interventions.
Purpose
Following a 3-month PA intervention, the study compared the effects of three 6-month interventions on PA at 12 months.
Methods
One hundred and sixty-one inactive breast cancer survivors participated in a 12-month randomized controlled trial. Intervention delivery was uniform for the first 3-months: all participants received a weekly call with their peer coach to encourage PA. Following month 3, participants self-monitored PA and received feedback reports (Reach Plus) or additionally received, a monthly phone call (Reach Plus Phone), or weekly text message (Reach Plus Message). Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured using self-report (7 Day PAR) and accelerometry at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.
Results
At 3 months, there were significant within group increases in self-reported and objectively measured MVPA with no between-group differences (ps > .05). At 6 months, adjusted longitudinal models showed that Reach Plus Message reported an additional 23.83 (SD = 6.33, f2 = .12) min/week of MVPA and Reach Plus Phone reported an additional 18.14 min/week (SD = 5.15, f2 =.16) versus Reach Plus. Results were similar at 9 months. At 12 months, Reach Plus Message and Reach Plus Phone both out-performed Reach Plus (ps = .04 and .05 respectively and effect sizes f2 = .11 and f2 = .21 respectively). Accelerometer data showed similar patterns: Reach Plus Message and Reach Plus Phone out-performed Reach Plus at 6 (f2 = .20) and 9 months (f2 = .09).
Conclusion
Phone calls from peer mentors and text messaging can support PA maintenance among breast cancer survivors.
Clinical Trial information
ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT02694640.
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