Health Behavior Changes in Colorectal Cancer Survivors

描述(申请人提供)：该K07奖项申请的目标是提供有指导的培训和研究，使Elliot Coups博士能够过渡到一个独立的研究职位，在癌症幸存者中促进健康促进行为的研究。该奖项中提出的研究重点是了解和促进结直肠癌幸存者在完成癌症治疗后在体力活动和饮食习惯方面的变化。许多结直肠癌幸存者不参加可能降低其癌症复发或发展为其他癌症或慢性病风险的体育活动和饮食习惯。尽管有证据表明，一些结直肠癌幸存者在癌症治疗结束后可能会进行积极的体力活动和饮食改变，但目前对这些改变的原因、程度和影响的了解有限。加强对结直肠癌幸存者健康行为变化的了解，将为为这一人群制定有效的健康促进干预措施提供急需的知识基础。在这一应用中，提出了两项研究。第一项研究将使用前瞻性的纵向设计来研究结直肠癌幸存者体力活动和饮食变化的原因、程度以及情感和认知影响。根据第一项研究的结果，第二项研究需要为结直肠癌幸存者制定体力活动和饮食干预措施，并对干预措施进行试点随机对照试验。一个正式的课程和指导计划将为Coups博士提供三个领域的培训：(1)癌症预防和控制；(2)随机对照试验的设计和实施；以及(3)用于分析纵向数据和随机对照试验数据的先进定量方法。公共卫生相关性：美国癌症幸存者人数的增加提高了在这一人群中预防疾病和促进健康的重要性。这项拟议的研究将为健康行为干预的发展提供信息，这些干预措施可能会提高癌症幸存者的生活质量和数量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this K07 award application is to provide mentored training and research that will enable Dr. Elliot Coups to transition to an independent investigator position conducting research on the promotion of health enhancing behaviors among cancer survivors. The research proposed in this award focuses on understanding and promoting changes in physical activity and dietary practices among colorectal cancer survivors after completion of cancer treatment. Many colorectal cancer survivors do not engage in physical activity and dietary practices that may decrease their risk of cancer recurrence or for developing others cancers or chronic illnesses. Although evidence suggests that some survivors of colorectal cancer may make positive physical activity and dietary changes after finishing cancer treatment, current knowledge regarding the causes, degree, and effects of such changes is limited. An enhanced understanding of health behavior changes among colorectal cancer survivors will provide a much-needed knowledge base for the development of effective health promotion interventions for this population. Two studies are proposed ,in this application. The first study will use a prospective, longitudinal design to examine the causes, degree, and affective and cognitive effects of physical activity and dietary changes made by colorectal cancer survivors. Drawing on the results of this first study, the second study entails development of a physical activity and dietary intervention for colorectal cancer survivors and a pilot randomized controlled trial of the intervention. A program of formal coursework and mentorship will provide Dr. Coups with training in three areas: (1) cancer prevention and control; (2) design and conduct of randomized controlled trials; and (3) advanced quantitative methods for the analysis of longitudinal data and data from randomized controlled trials. Public Health Relevance: The growing number of cancer survivors in the United States has raised the importance of disease prevention and health promotion in this population. The proposed research will inform the development of health behavior interventions that may enhance quality and quantity of life among cancer survivors.