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Health behaviours and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors

Health behaviours and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors
Health behaviours and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors

Purpose
As cancer survival rates improve, there is growing interest in the role of lifestyle in longer-term health and quality of life (QoL). This study examined the prevalence of health-related behaviours, and the associations between health behaviours and QoL, in colorectal cancer survivors.

Methods
Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the last 5 years identified from five London (UK) hospitals (N = 495) completed a survey that included measures of fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity, smoking status and alcohol consumption. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to index QoL.

Results
The majority of respondents were overweight/obese (58%), not physically active (<5 bouts of moderate activity per week; 82%) and ate fewer than five portions of F&V a day (57%). Few were smokers (6%) or heavy drinkers (weekly alcohol units >21 for men and >14 for women; 8%). Physical activity showed the strongest association with functional QoL and was also associated with lower fatigue, pain and insomnia (P < 0.05). F&V intake was associated with higher global QoL and physical, role and cognitive function (P < 0.05). Using a total health behaviour score (calculated by assigning one point for each of the following behaviours: not smoking, consuming ?5 portions of F&V a day, being physically active and having moderate alcohol consumption), there was a linear relationship with global QoL, physical function and fatigue (P < 0.05).

Conclusion
A high proportion of colorectal cancer survivors in the UK have suboptimal health behaviours, and this is associated with poorer QoL.
0962-9343
1237-1245
Grimmett, Chloe
7f27e85b-2850-481d-a7dd-2835e1a925cd
Bridgewater, John
a7c51f93-a80e-4b89-828f-34f477259d5c
Steptoe, Andrew
aadc4799-ddd7-4013-a8c9-c37ec87f23c3
Wardle, Jane
6b994195-e431-4d09-adcb-fd37cb2102a1
Grimmett, Chloe
7f27e85b-2850-481d-a7dd-2835e1a925cd
Bridgewater, John
a7c51f93-a80e-4b89-828f-34f477259d5c
Steptoe, Andrew
aadc4799-ddd7-4013-a8c9-c37ec87f23c3
Wardle, Jane
6b994195-e431-4d09-adcb-fd37cb2102a1

Grimmett, Chloe, Bridgewater, John, Steptoe, Andrew and Wardle, Jane (2011) Health behaviours and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors. Quality of Life Research, 20 (8), 1237-1245. (doi:10.1007/s11136-011-9855-1). (PMID:21286822)

Record type: Article

Abstract


Purpose
As cancer survival rates improve, there is growing interest in the role of lifestyle in longer-term health and quality of life (QoL). This study examined the prevalence of health-related behaviours, and the associations between health behaviours and QoL, in colorectal cancer survivors.

Methods
Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the last 5 years identified from five London (UK) hospitals (N = 495) completed a survey that included measures of fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity, smoking status and alcohol consumption. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to index QoL.

Results
The majority of respondents were overweight/obese (58%), not physically active (<5 bouts of moderate activity per week; 82%) and ate fewer than five portions of F&V a day (57%). Few were smokers (6%) or heavy drinkers (weekly alcohol units >21 for men and >14 for women; 8%). Physical activity showed the strongest association with functional QoL and was also associated with lower fatigue, pain and insomnia (P < 0.05). F&V intake was associated with higher global QoL and physical, role and cognitive function (P < 0.05). Using a total health behaviour score (calculated by assigning one point for each of the following behaviours: not smoking, consuming ?5 portions of F&V a day, being physically active and having moderate alcohol consumption), there was a linear relationship with global QoL, physical function and fatigue (P < 0.05).

Conclusion
A high proportion of colorectal cancer survivors in the UK have suboptimal health behaviours, and this is associated with poorer QoL.

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More information

Published date: October 2011
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 336763
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/336763
ISSN: 0962-9343
PURE UUID: eeb79d55-f066-479c-844f-c1f887745efe
ORCID for Chloe Grimmett: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7540-7206

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Apr 2012 10:43
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:43

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Contributors

Author: Chloe Grimmett ORCID iD
Author: John Bridgewater
Author: Andrew Steptoe
Author: Jane Wardle

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