Men Moving Forward: A Lifestyle Intervention for African American Prostate Cancer Survivors

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ABSTRACT This proposal seeks funding for a diversity supplement to provide Ms. Awoyinka, the candidate, with an intensive mentored research training and educational experience that will support the successful completion of her PhD and a subsequent career in cancer disparities research. Ms. Awoyinka will participate in a variety of research training, mentorship, and educational opportunities related to her research interests and objectives, and to the parent study, Men Moving Forward (MMF), a lifestyle intervention study designed with and for African American prostate cancer survivors (AAPCS) to improve health behaviors related to diet and exercise. Dr. Stolley, the PI will serve as her primary mentor, with additional mentorship provided by Dr. Young, who will offer support in qualitative methodology, and Dr. Knight who will offer training in biobehavioral mechanisms. The parent study seeks to examine the effects of participation in MMF on body composition, health behaviors, quality of life (QOL), and biomarkers related to comorbidities and carcinogenesis. The supplement will build on this work by exploring how social connection influences QOL, allostatic load and behavior change in men participating in the intervention. Specifically, the aims for this supplement are: 1) To describe social connections and their associations with QOL and self-efficacy among AAPC survivors pre- and post- intervention; 2) To explore the associations between social connections and allostatic load (specific markers to be determined through mentorship) at baseline; and 3) To gain a greater understanding of how social connections influence intervention engagement and behavior change using qualitative interviews. Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men, with highest incidence and lowest survival observed among African-Americans (AA). AA men with PC report poorer QOL relative to Non-Hispanic white men. Research suggests larger social networks and higher levels of social support are associated with declines in cancer mortality and improved quality of life in cancer survivors. Social networks can also influence behavioral norms and attitudes around health, and social support has been shown to enhance self-efficacy, a construct associated with positive behavior change. Little is known about the social connection of AAPCS and how it relates to QOL, allostatic load, or program engagement and response in this population. Despite documented disparities, there has been minimal work to date targeting this population. Improved understanding of how social connections influence AAPCS and their engagement in lifestyle intervention programs may help inform future research questions and identify opportunities to address disparities.