title: Comparing determinants of physical activity in Puerto Rican, Mexican-American, and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physical activity (PA) has a myriad of benefits for breast cancer survivors, including a reduced risk of cancer recurrence. Latinas are less physically active than are women in the general population and little is known about Latina breast cancer survivors' levels of PA or their beliefs related to PA. We conducted a survey of 50 Puerto Rican (PR), 50 Mexican-American (MA) and 50 non-Hispanic white (NHW) breast cancer survivors to investigate similarities and differences in PA and social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs associated with PA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected information on current PA using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ); comorbidities; anthropometric measures of body mass index [BMI (kg/m(2))] and waist-to-hip (W:H) ratio; and SCT measures, including exercise self-efficacy, exercise barriers self-efficacy, modeling and social support from friends and family. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance of differences between groups and regression models of the predictors of PA were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survivors from the three groups were similar in age (M = 56.8, SD = 11.0), BMI (M = 29.0, SD = 5.7) and co-morbidity (M = 2.09, SD = 1.69). Survivors differed in PA (p < 0.001), self-efficacy (p = 0.05), modeling (p = 0.03) and social support from family (p = 0.05). Social support from family member and exercise barriers self-efficacy were predictors of PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with published studies, Hispanic breast cancer survivors self-report that they are less physically active than are non-Hispanic whites. SCT variables associated with PA differ among Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanic whites. Further research is warranted in order to understand determinants of physical activity for specific ethnic breast cancer survivors.
authors: Institute for Health Promotion Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1000, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA.
authors: Daniel C
authors: DC
authors: Hughes
authors: The University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Maribel
authors: M
authors: Tirado-Gomez
authors: Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
authors: Liliana
authors: L
authors: Vallejo
authors: The University of Puerto Rico Cancer Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Velda
authors: V
authors: Gonzalez
authors: Institute for Health Promotion Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1000, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA.
authors: Rose A
authors: RA
authors: Treviño-Whitaker
authors: Institute for Health Promotion Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1000, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA.
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Villanueva
authors: Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Basen-Engquist
keywords: Breast cancer; Exercise; Hispanics; Social cognitive theory