Stage Validity of the Health Action Process Approach in African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Enablers and Hindrances of Lifestyle Changes Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) seriously affects the health status and quality of life of affected patients. However, the lifestyle changes recommended by the guidelines for patients are not ideal. Hence, understanding the factors that promote and hinder healthy behavior changes in patients with AF is crucial for self-management.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to understand the factors enabling and hindering health behaviors in patients with AF and to provide a reference for promoting health management among these patients.

METHODS

Using the purposive sampling method, 22 patients with AF admitted to the Cardiac Center of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, from March 2021 to June 2021 were selected for in-depth face-to-face interviews. The thematic analysis method was used to summarize and refine the themes.

RESULTS

The following 2 themes and 15 subthemes were eventually extracted by analyzing and summarizing the interview data. The 7 factors facilitating health behaviors in patients with AF were risk perception, outcome expectancy, behavioral intention, action plan, response plan, self-efficacy, and social support. There were 8 hindering factors: personal preferences and habits, specific customary culture, weak self-control, accessibility of exercise conditions, symptom-related distress, cognitive weakness, multiple medication use, and insufficient awareness of condition monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS

The factors affecting health behaviors in patients with AF are complex, and healthcare providers should reinforce the facilitators of health behaviors in these patients and provide them with targeted interventions against hindering factors. Results can be used to develop health behavior intervention programs for patients with AF.

Physical activity barriers and resources among black women with a history of breast and endometrial cancer: a systematic review

Physical inactivity is a significant public health problem among black women. However, there is limited evidence regarding barriers to physical activity and the availability of opportunities to engage in physical activity, specifically for posttreatment black women with a history of cancer.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper was to systematically review, summarize, and synthesize findings on physical activity-related research including barriers, facilitators, and resources for physical activity among posttreatment black women with a history of breast and endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We developed a comprehensive search strategy and conducted searches in the following databases: PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane, PubMed, and Sociological Abstracts. Summary measures were described qualitatively (e.g., themes) and quantitatively (e.g., frequencies).

RESULTS

This review identified 35 eligible articles describing 12 intervention and 23 observational studies. We described intervention preferences (e.g., resistance activities), beliefs about physical activity, and benefits of physical activity for quality of life (e.g., improvements in social wellbeing) in black cancer survivors. In addition, very few studies identified barriers to physical activity (n = 7) and focused on increasing physical activity (n = 12) among black women with a history of cancer. The most common reported barriers among the target population were fatigue, lack of social support, weather, illness/health issues, cost, time constraints, living too far away, and inability/unwillingness to obtain physician clearance, whereas the most common facilitators were faith, other health concerns, and social support.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS

Future studies should target barriers, facilitators, and culturally adapted strategies for physical activity at all levels of influence to develop multi-level interventions to engage and improve physical activity among black women with a history of breast and endometrial cancer.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018110008.