Spousal communication and cancer prevention behavior

描述(由申请人提供)：需要新的方法来评估配偶的说服性沟通，因为以前试图利用配偶的影响改变健康行为的干预措施取得的成功有限。超越自我报告的新方法将使人们更彻底地了解配偶实际上是如何使用说服性沟通来影响行为改变和维持的。了解配偶的说服性沟通做法及其有效性，将为创新的癌症预防干预措施提供更坚实的基础。这项研究的目的是：1)通过检查配偶的劝说沟通风格是否与诊断为结肠息肉(结直肠癌风险增加一倍)后开始和维持身体活动有关，建立我们的劝说沟通观察编码测量的预测有效性；2)通过检查说服沟通的相关性，建立我们的劝说沟通观察编码测量的结构效度；以及3)进行干预前工作，检查基于夫妇的沟通干预的可接受性，并开发一个将增加有效配偶沟通的程序组件原型。我们会从胃肠病诊所招募80名曾接受腺瘤息肉切除手术，但并未进行建议体力活动以减低患结直肠癌风险的病人及其配偶。配偶的说服性沟通将通过观察性编码系统进行评估，我们已经为该系统建立了高可靠性，每个配偶将在基线和三个月和六个月的随访中独立完成调查。在每一次评估中，患者和配偶都将佩戴七天的体力活动监测仪。这项研究的长期目标是开发更好的干预措施，通过让配偶参与预防性行为改变计划来帮助预防癌症和其他慢性健康状况。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): New methods for assessing spouses' persuasive communication are needed, because previous interventions attempting to leverage spousal influence in changing health behavior have achieved limited success. New methods that go beyond self report will provide a more thorough understanding of how spouses actually use persuasive communication to influence behavior change and maintenance. Understanding spouses' persuasive communication practices, and their effectiveness, will provide a stronger foundation for innovative cancer prevention interventions. The study's aims are to: 1) establish the predictive validity of our observational coding measure of persuasive communication by examining whether spouses' persuasive communication style is related to the initiation and maintenance of physical activity after diagnosis of a colon polyp (a condition that doubles the risk of colorectal cancer); 2) establish the construct validity of our observational coding measure of persuasive communication by examining the correlates of persuasive communication; and 3) conduct pre-intervention work that examines the acceptability of a couples-based communication intervention, and develops a program component prototype that will increase effective spousal communication. We will recruit from gastroenterology clinics 80 patients who have undergone adenoma polypectomy and have not engaged in the recommended physical activity levels to reduce colorectal cancer risk, and their marital partners. Spouses' persuasive communication will be assessed with an observational coding system, for which we have already established high reliability, and each spouse will independently complete surveys at baseline and at a three- and six-month follow-up. During each of these assessments both patients and spouses will wear physical activity monitors for seven days. The long-term goal of this research is to develop better interventions which help prevent cancer, and other chronic health conditions, by involving spouses in preventive behavior change programs.