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Rural and Small Town Breast Cancer Survivors’ Preferences for Physical Activity

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine volume 20, pages 522–528 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Recent data suggests that only 35 % of rural and small town breast cancer survivors are achieving physical activity (PA) guidelines after treatment.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine preferences for PA counseling and programming and barriers to program participation in a sample of rural and small town breast cancer survivors.

Methods

Survivors (n = 524) residing in rural and small town areas of Alberta, Canada completed a mailed self-report survey that assessed demographic variables, PA, and PA counseling and programming preferences.

Results

Seventy-eight percent of survivors indicated they would have possibly (i.e., yes or maybe) been interested in being counseled about PA at the time of diagnosis, while 70 % would possibly be interested in being counseled about PA at this current time. Overall, 85 % felt they would possibly be able to participate in a PA program. Receiving chemotherapy was negatively associated with wanting to receive PA counseling (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.86), PA program interest (OR = 0.43; 95 % CI, 0.28 to 0.67), and PA program ability (OR = 0.44; 95 % CI, 0.26 to 0.75). Preferred activities involved walking (51 %), flexibility and related activities (e.g., yoga, stretching) (36 %), and strength training (27 %).

Conclusions

Rural and small town survivors appear to be interested in and able to participate in PA counseling and programs. PA initiatives targeted to the preferences of breast cancer survivors living in nonurban areas may be more likely to facilitate and maintain PA behavior.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a Project Interface Grant from Alberta Health Services—Cancer Corridor. Dr. Jeff Vallance is supported by a Population Health Investigator Award from Alberta Innovates—Health Solutions and a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Centre for Nursing and Health Studies, Faculty of Health Disciplines, Athabasca University, 1 University Drive, Athabasca, Alberta, T9S-3A3, Canada

    Jeff Vallance & Celeste Lavallee

  2. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Nicole Culos-Reed

  3. Marjory E. Yuill Cancer Centre, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

    Marc Trudeau

Authors
  1. Jeff Vallance
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  2. Celeste Lavallee
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  3. Nicole Culos-Reed
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  4. Marc Trudeau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeff Vallance.

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Vallance, J., Lavallee, C., Culos-Reed, N. et al. Rural and Small Town Breast Cancer Survivors’ Preferences for Physical Activity. Int.J. Behav. Med. 20, 522–528 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9264-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9264-z

Keywords

  • Physical activity
  • Physical activity preferences
  • Physical activity counseling
  • Breast cancer survivors
  • Rural and small town