title: Transitioning from active treatment: colorectal cancer survivors' health promotion goals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to describe the post-treatment goals of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. We sought to determine whether goals were a salient concept during the period immediately following treatment, and whether a goal-setting intervention might be feasible and acceptable to these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured qualitative interviews were administered to a convenience sample of 41 CRC patients who were 0-24 months post-treatment. Topics discussed included expectations and goals for future health, cancer prevention awareness, health-promoting behavior-change goals, and post-treatment cancer issues. Content analysis was used to explore emergent themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, participants' health-related goals were: being healthy, getting back to normal, and not having a cancer recurrence. Most of the CRC survivors reported being proactive with their health by maintaining healthy behaviors or making healthy behavior changes, or had goals to change their behavior. All respondents had plans to maintain follow-up care and regular screening appointments. Some patients were managing treatment side effects or non-cancer issues that limited their functional abilities. Many respondents were satisfied with the care they received, and felt it was now their responsibility to do their part in taking care of themselves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRC survivors talk about goals, and many of them are either making or have an interest in making health behavior changes. Self-management support could be an appropriate strategy to assist patients with achieving their health goals post-treatment. Patients may need help addressing lingering treatment side effects or non-cancer issues. Healthcare providers should consider assessing patients' goals to help patients resolve post-treatment issues and promote healthy behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. npalmer@wakehealth.edu
authors.forename: Nynikka R A
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: L Kay
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Bartholomew
authors.forename: Sheryl A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McCurdy
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Basen-Engquist
authors.forename: Aanand D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Naik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001364:Awareness; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*