Variables Associated with of Health-Promoting Behaviors: Baseline Evaluation of Cancer Survivors in the Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) Lifestyle Wellness Workshops

Abstract

Survivors in the Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) Lifestyle Wellness Workshops INTRODUCTION: There has been a significant increase in the number of long-term cancer survivors living in the United States. These survivors are at risk for various medical comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes. Cancer health disparities also exist throughout the United States, with underserved communities experiencing increased mortality rates for cancer. The Health Belief Model (HBM) posits that cancer survivors would take action to improve their health based on their cancer experiences and self-efficacy for controlling consequences associated with cancer.;OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate factors that motivate cancer survivors to engage in health-promoting behaviors (i.e., healthful eating and physical activity).;METHODS: This research evaluated baseline data from participants enrolled in the Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) Lifestyle Wellness Workshops, a diabetes prevention and control program for underserved cancer survivors in Bronx, NY. Eighty-four participants, mostly Black/African Americans ( n = 41, 48.8%) and Latino/Hispanics (n = 25, 29.8%) with a mean age of 59.6 years enrolled in the workshops. The majority of participants were breast cancer survivors (n = 63) suffering co-morbid medical conditions.;RESULTS: Analyses revealed that several predictor variables, including body mass index (BMI), physical functioning, physical health, emotional health, readiness to engage in exercise and readiness to change eating habits, significantly contributed to the variability participants' engagement in health-promoting behaviors (F = 2.273, p < .05). In particular, the largest contribution was BMI, which significantly predicted participant's involvement in health-promoting behaviors (t = -2.179, p < .05). In further analyses, demographic data only accounted for approximately 4% of the variance on health-promoting behaviors.;CONCLUSION: Data suggest that BMI likely plays a significant role in an individuals' engagement in healthful behaviors, yet the influence of demographic data is more complex. This research included several limitations, one of which was that certain variables from the HBM could not be evaluated because the variable was not in the database used. Therefore, future research needs to more directly address factors from the HBM and should also tackle confounding factors that influence socioeconomic status across cultures, generations, and social and physical environments.