Abstract:
Introduction: The American Cancer Society (ACS) has established guidelines to improve the quality of life and survival of cancer survivors. Adherence to these recommendations is low internationally, and there is no available data in Uruguay.
Objective: To determine the proportion of cancer survivors who comply with the five healthy behavior guidelines recommended by the ACS at the Hospital de Clínicas and the Departmental Hospital of Soriano.
Materials and Methods: This observational and prospective study included early-stage (I-III) cancer patients under follow-up. A questionnaire was applied to assess dietary habits, physical activity, alcohol, and tobacco consumption. Compliance was scored from 0 (does not comply) to 1 (complies) for each of the five healthy behaviors, with a total score ranging from 0 to 5. Patients were classified as having low (0-2), moderate (3), or high adherence (4-5). The relationships between adherence and age, sex, education level, tumor site, stage, and time since diagnosis were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using R software, with p-values < 0.05 considered significant.
Results: A total of 288 patients with a median age of 68 years were included; 52.4% were women, and 47.5% had completed secondary education. The most frequent tumors were breast, colorectal, and prostate. Only 15% consumed sufficient fruits and vegetables, 63.5% maintained a BMI <30, 32.3% achieved recommended physical activity, 80.6% did not smoke, and 95.5% did not drink alcohol excessively. Adherence was low in 42%, moderate in 29.5%, and high in 28.5%, with higher adherence among younger patients (p=0.009), women (p=0.004), patients with higher education levels (p<0.001), and those diagnosed at earlier stages (p=0.009). Breast cancer patients showed higher adherence (p=0.025). No relationship was found between adherence and time since diagnosis (p=0.155).
Conclusions: Although most survivors followed recommendations to not smoke (80.6%) and moderate alcohol consumption (95.5%), a third had a BMI above the recommended level, two-thirds did not achieve recommended physical activity, and 85% did not consume the recommended fruits and vegetables. Overall, 57.8% met fewer than 3 of the 5 recommendations. Adherence was lower among older patients, men, stage III patients, and those with lower education levels, suggesting that these groups may benefit more from specific interventions.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- Understand the prevalence of healthy behavior adherence among cancer survivors.
- Identify demographic and clinical factors associated with adherence to healthy behaviors.
- Apply this information to develop targeted interventions to improve adherence among cancer survivors, enhancing their overall quality of life.
- This research provides insights that can help healthcare professionals understand the challenges cancer survivors face in adhering to healthy behaviors.
- Clinicians can use these findings to develop targeted interventions to improve the health behaviors of cancer survivors.
- The information can guide healthcare professionals in counseling and supporting their patients, leading to better health outcomes and quality of life.
