Clustering of health behaviours in adult survivors of childhood cancer and the general population.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about engagement in multiple health behaviours in childhood cancer survivors.


METHODS
Using latent class analysis, we identified health behaviour patterns in 835 adult survivors of childhood cancer (age 20-35 years) and 1670 age- and sex-matched controls from the general population. Behaviour groups were determined from replies to questions on smoking, drinking, cannabis use, sporting activities, diet, sun protection and skin examination.


RESULTS
The model identified four health behaviour patterns: 'risk-avoidance', with a generally healthy behaviour; 'moderate drinking', with higher levels of sporting activities, but moderate alcohol-consumption; 'risk-taking', engaging in several risk behaviours; and 'smoking', smoking but not drinking. Similar proportions of survivors and controls fell into the 'risk-avoiding' (42% vs 44%) and the 'risk-taking' cluster (14% vs 12%), but more survivors were in the 'moderate drinking' (39% vs 28%) and fewer in the 'smoking' cluster (5% vs 16%). Determinants of health behaviour clusters were gender, migration background, income and therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
A comparable proportion of childhood cancer survivors as in the general population engage in multiple health-compromising behaviours. Because of increased vulnerability of survivors, multiple risk behaviours should be addressed in targeted health interventions.
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
C E
CE
Rebholz
C S
CS
Rueegg
G
G
Michel
R A
RA
Ammann
N X
NX
von der Weid
C E
CE
Kuehni
B D
BD
Spycher
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013177:Sports; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology