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Capitalizing on the “teachable moment” to promote healthy dietary changes among cancer survivors: the perspectives of health care providers

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Abstract

Purpose

Although cancer is often thought of as a teachable moment, many cancer survivors do not adhere to behavioral recommendations that might improve their health. This study explored health care providers’ perspectives on the importance and feasibility of addressing behavior change, specifically healthy diet, with cancer survivors.

Methods

In-depth interviews were conducted with 33 health care providers who care for posttreatment survivors of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Interviews were analyzed thematically.

Results

Health care providers emphasized the strength of evidence linking diet/obesity to recurrence in their assessment of the importance of promoting dietary change among their survivor patients. Cancer specialists (e.g., oncologists, surgeons) generally brought up dietary change with patients if they considered the evidence to be strong. In contrast, primary care providers viewed health promotion as important for all patients and reported treating cancer survivor patients the same as others when it came to making dietary recommendations. There was a lack of consensus among providers on the best timing to bring up behavior change. Providers described specific subgroups of patients who they saw as more motivated to make behavior changes and patient barriers to making dietary changes.

Conclusions

Health care providers can play an important role in promoting healthy diet among cancer survivors. As the evidence base around diet and cancer recurrence/prognosis grows, it is important that this information is communicated to providers. Strategies such as incorporating behavior change messages into survivor care plans may help standardize recommendations to survivors.

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Acknowledgments

This research is funded by National Cancer Institute-National Institutes of Health Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Grant #1R21CA152789. Mrs. Kisha I. Coa is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Research Service Award T32 CA009314.

Conflict of interest

The authors do not have a financial relationship with the organization that sponsored this research. We have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review this data if requested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Kisha I. Coa, Katherine Clegg Smith & Ann C. Klassen

  2. Department of Community Health and Prevention, Drexel University School of Public Health, 3215 Market St. Room 435, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Ann C. Klassen

  3. Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe St. W2041, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Laura E. Caulfield

  4. The Prevention and Research Center, Mercy Medical Center, 227 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA

    Kathy Helzlsouer

  5. Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 10753 Falls Rd., Suite 325, Lutherville, MD, 21093, USA

    Kim Peairs

  6. Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center, 601 North Caroline St., 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Lillie Shockney

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  1. Kisha I. Coa
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  2. Katherine Clegg Smith
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Correspondence to Kisha I. Coa.

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Coa, K.I., Smith, K.C., Klassen, A.C. et al. Capitalizing on the “teachable moment” to promote healthy dietary changes among cancer survivors: the perspectives of health care providers. Support Care Cancer 23, 679–686 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2412-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2412-z

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