"It's Up to You and God": Understanding Health Behavior Change in Older African American Survivors of Colorectal Cancer

Overview

Journal Transl Behav Med

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialties General Medicine
Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2013 May 7

PMID 23646096

Citations 21

Authors

Felicity W K Harper

Andrea Nevedal

Susan Eggly

Carie Francis

Kendra Schwartz

Terrance L Albrecht

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study investigated the beliefs and attitudes of older African American colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors that may influence health behavior changes after treatment. Drawing from existing theories of health behavior change and cultural beliefs about health, a semi-structured interview guide was developed to elicit survivors' perspectives. Qualitative focus groups and interviews were conducted with 17 survivors identified through the Detroit Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry. Using verbatim transcripts from the sessions and NVivo software, thematic analysis was conducted to analyze patterns of responses. Transcripts were coded for seven categories (health behaviors, who/what motivates change, self-efficacy, fatalism, religion/spirituality, beliefs about cancer, race/ethnicity). Five themes emerged from the data (personal responsibility, resilience, desire for information, intentions to change, beliefs in divine control). Findings support the relevance of existing theories of health behavior change to older African American CRC survivors. Cultural considerations are suggested to improve interventions seeking to maximize changes in diet and exercise among this group of survivors.

Citing Articles

Multiple Levels of Influence on Lifestyle Behaviors among Cancer Survivors in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups: A Systematic Review.

Cho D, Kim S, Mama S, Swartz M, Geng Y, Lu Q Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2024; 2023.

PMID: 39624800 PMC: 11611251. DOI: 10.1155/2023/8504968.

Fatalism and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students: Mediation models of locus of control and positive coping.

Zhang Y, Hu J Heliyon. 2024; 10(6):e27617.

PMID: 38509900 PMC: 10950598. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27617.

The unmet rehabilitation needs of colorectal cancer survivors after surgery: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

Yi Y, Yang Y, Shi X, Yang X Nurs Open. 2024; 11(1):e2051.

PMID: 38268281 PMC: 10697127. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.2051.

Sociocultural factors associated with physical activity in Black prostate cancer survivors.

Buro A, Carson T, Small B, Fan W, Oswald L, Jim H Support Care Cancer. 2023; 31(8):482.

PMID: 37479918 PMC: 10388711. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07898-x.

Association between Nutrition Behavior and Colorectal Cancer Diet Recommendation.

Laguerre E, Matthews T J Cancer Prev. 2022; 27(2):79-88.

PMID: 35864857 PMC: 9271404. DOI: 10.15430/JCP.2022.27.2.79.

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