Health behaviors of minority childhood cancer survivors

Melinda R Stolley, Lisa K Sharp, Christy C Tangney, Linda A Schiffer, Claudia Arroyo, Yoonsang Kim, Richard T Campbell, Mary Lou Schmidt, Kathleen Breen, Karen E Kinahan, Kim J Dilley, Tara O Henderson, Allen D Korenblit, Katya Seligman, Melinda R Stolley, Lisa K Sharp, Christy C Tangney, Linda A Schiffer, Claudia Arroyo, Yoonsang Kim, Richard T Campbell, Mary Lou Schmidt, Kathleen Breen, Karen E Kinahan, Kim J Dilley, Tara O Henderson, Allen D Korenblit, Katya Seligman

Abstract

Background: Available data have suggested that childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are comparable to the general population with regard to many lifestyle parameters. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding minority CCSs. This cross-sectional study describes and compares the body mass index and health behaviors of African American, Hispanic, and white survivors with each other and with noncancer controls.

Methods: Participants included 452 adult CCSs (150 African American, 152 Hispanic, and 150 white individuals) recruited through 4 childhood cancer treating institutions and 375 ethnically matched noncancer controls (125 in each racial/ethnic group) recruited via targeted digit dial. All participants completed a 2-hour in-person interview.

Results: Survivors and noncancer controls reported similar health behaviors. Within survivors, smoking and physical activity were found to be similar across racial/ethnic groups. African American and Hispanic survivors reported lower daily alcohol use compared with white individuals, but consumed unhealthy diets and were more likely to be obese.

Conclusions: This unique study highlights that many minority CCSs exhibit lifestyle profiles that contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases and late effects. Recommendations for behavior changes must consider the social and cultural context in which minority survivors may live.

Keywords: childhood cancer; health behaviors; health disparities; minority; survivorship.

© 2015 American Cancer Society.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Recruitment Results a Because controls were not randomly selected or called exhaustively, they cannot be used to generalize to the population from which they were drawn. Instead the data from this study should only be used, as intended, in comparison with patient cases. b Other includes: flyers in the community, mass emails, newspaper articles, adult survivorship clinic, research presentations, and word of mouth
Figure 2
Figure 2
African-American survivors and controls addresses
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hispanic survivor and control addresses

Source: PubMed

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