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A Randomized Trial of a Telephone-Delivered Exercise Intervention for Non-urban Dwelling Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Exercise for Health

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Physical activity is important following breast cancer. Trials of non-face-to-face interventions are needed to assist in reaching women living outside major metropolitan areas.

Purpose

This study seeks to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a telephone-delivered, mixed aerobic and resistance exercise intervention for non-urban Australian women with breast cancer.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial comparing an 8-month intervention delivered by exercise physiologists (n = 73) to usual care (n = 70).

Results

Sixty-one percent recruitment rate and 96% retention at 12 months; 79% of women in the intervention group received at least 75% of calls; odds (OR, 95% CI) of meeting intervention targets favored the intervention group for resistance training (OR 3.2; 1.2, 8.9) and aerobic (OR 2.1; 0.8, 5.5) activity.

Conclusions

Given the limited availability of physical activity programs for non-urban women with breast cancer, results provide strong support for feasibility and modest support for the efficacy of telephone-delivered interventions.

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Acknowledgements

We warmly thank Kym Spathonis (project manager), the project staff, the breast care nurses who gave generously of their time to assist with recruitment and the patients who took part in the trial.

Disclaimers

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF, Australia) and a Queensland Health Core Infrastructure grant funded the trial. EGE is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellowship. SCH is supported by an Early Career Research Fellowship from the NBCF.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Population Health, Cancer Prevention Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Level 3 Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, QLD, Australia, 4006

    Elizabeth G. Eakin Ph.D, Sheleigh P. Lawler Ph.D & Elisabeth A. H. Winkler Ph.D

  2. School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Australia

    Sandra C. Hayes Ph.D

  3. Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Australia

    Sandra C. Hayes Ph.D

Authors
  1. Elizabeth G. Eakin Ph.D
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  2. Sheleigh P. Lawler Ph.D
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  3. Elisabeth A. H. Winkler Ph.D
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  4. Sandra C. Hayes Ph.D
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth G. Eakin Ph.D.

Additional information

Trial registration: ACTRN12609000809235.

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Eakin, E.G., Lawler, S.P., Winkler, E.A.H. et al. A Randomized Trial of a Telephone-Delivered Exercise Intervention for Non-urban Dwelling Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Exercise for Health. ann. behav. med. 43, 229–238 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9324-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9324-7

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