Physical activity levels in women attending breast screening, receiving chemotherapy and post-breast cancer treatment; a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
A lack of physical activity (PA) is a well-recognised risk factor in the development of breast cancer (BC) and evidence-base research on the impact of PA on BC survival is consolidating. However, evidence reveals that BC survivors have low levels of PA, suggesting the need of targeted interventions to enhance the PA behaviour of BC survivors. Unfortunately, there is lack of data from the UK about the PA behaviours of women at various stages of diagnosis and treatment of BC. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess PA levels in women at different stages of BC pathway.


METHODS
A convenient sample of patients was selected at various stages of presentation and treatment of BC. Patients attending for breast screening for NHSBSP (n = 188), post-operative patients attending for chemotherapy (n = 41) and BC patients within one year's post-treatment (n = 80) were invited to take part in this cross-sectional study.


RESULTS
Based on the odds ratio, the likelihood of a chemotherapy participant not meeting PA guidelines (i.e., being in the low activity category) were three times higher than the odds of a NHSBPS attendee not meeting PA guidelines, and compared to post-treatment participants, the chemotherapy patient's odds of not meeting PA guidelines was four times higher. The odds of NHSBPS attendees being in the high activity category compared to the moderate category were three times higher than that of a post-treatment participant.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study suggests the need to establish robust PA interventions to enhance the PA behaviour of breast cancer survivors.
Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, Gorway Road, Walsall, WS1 3BD, UK. I.Lahart@wlv.ac.uk.
Ian M
IM
Lahart
Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, Gorway Road, Walsall, WS1 3BD, UK. G.Metsios@wlv.ac.uk.
George S
GS
Metsios
Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, Gorway Road, Walsall, WS1 3BD, UK. a.m.nevill@wlv.ac.uk.
Alan M
AM
Nevill
Department of General Surgery, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley DY12HQ, UK. Amtul.Carmichael@dgh.nhs.uk.
Amtul R
AR
Carmichael
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011184:Postoperative Period; D017741:Survivors; D006113:United Kingdom