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劝说性沟通，因为以前试图利用配偶影响改变健康行为的干预措施取得了有限的成功。超越自我报告的新方法将提供更彻底的了解配偶如何实际使用说服性沟通来影响行为改变和维持。了解配偶的劝说性沟通实践及其有效性，将为创新性的癌症预防干预提供更坚实的基础。本研究的目的是：1)通过检查配偶的说服性沟通方式是否与结肠息肉（一种使结直肠癌风险增加一倍的疾病）诊断后开始和维持体育活动有关，建立我们的说服性沟通观察编码测量的预测有效性；2)通过对说服性沟通相关因素的检验，建立说服性沟通观察编码测度的结构效度；3)开展干预前工作，考察基于夫妻的沟通干预的可接受性，并开发一个程序组件原型，以增加有效的配偶沟通。我们将从胃肠病学诊所招募80名接受了腺瘤息肉切除术且没有进行推荐的降低结直肠癌风险的体育活动水平的患者及其婚姻伴侣。配偶的劝导沟通将通过一个观察编码系统进行评估，我们已经建立了高可靠性，每个配偶将独立完成基线和三个月和六个月的随访调查。在每次评估期间，患者和配偶都将佩戴七天的身体活动监测器。这项研究的长期目标是通过让配偶参与预防行为改变项目，开发出更好的干预措施，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.