Cancer prevention as a source of exercise motivation: an experimental test using protection motivation theory

Young people's beliefs about the risk of bowel cancer and its link with physical activity

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective was to explore young people's risk appraisals of bowel cancer, including whether they had a coherent understanding of the protective effects of physical activity (PA). A secondary objective was to examine whether the illness risk representations (IRRs) framework could be used to understand beliefs underlying bowel cancer risk appraisals.

DESIGN

Qualitative.

METHODS

Framework analysis of semi-structured interviews with 19 people aged 14-17 years.

RESULTS

Participants judged their risk of getting bowel cancer as low. This was based on a lack of family history of cancer and their current lifestyle behaviours, which were viewed as having a protective effect, or because they planned on making change to their lifestyle in the future when disease risk became more relevant. Participants were not aware of, and struggled to understand, the link between PA and bowel cancer. They also lacked knowledge of the effects of, or treatments for, bowel cancer. Beliefs underlying judgements about the risk of bowel cancer fitted the IRR framework reasonably well.

CONCLUSIONS

The present research suggests that interventions designed to increase PA with a view to reducing the risk of bowel cancer should aim to make the future risk of bowel cancer feel more tangible, help young people to understand the full range of consequences, explain how and why preventative behaviours such as PA are effective in reducing risk, and emphasize that the typical late presentation of symptoms, and therefore investigation by health care services, reduces treatability. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Physical activity (PA) performed throughout the lifespan can have a protective effect on bowel cancer, but levels of PA are low among young people. Changing beliefs about the risk of getting bowel cancer may be a useful strategy in motivating PA. What does this study add? Increased understanding of how young people think about bowel cancer and the relationship between PA and cancer. Identification of strategies for increasing young adults' appraisals of the likelihood and severity of bowel cancer. Evidence to support the validity of illness risk representations framework.

Awareness of the role of physical activity in colon cancer prevention

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of U.S. adults' awareness of the role that physical activity plays in preventing colon cancer.

METHODS

Data were analyzed for 1932 respondents to the Health Information National Trends Survey who answered a question about factors that reduce the chances of getting colon cancer. Individuals who listed physical activity in response to this question were denoted as being aware of its role in colon cancer prevention.

RESULTS

Few respondents (15.0%) listed physical activity as a means of reducing colon cancer risk. Awareness was especially low among individuals aged 50 years and over, those with lower levels of education, individuals who believe that physical activity recommendations are confusing, those reporting less exposure to information about physical activity and cancer, individuals who did not report looking for information about cancer, those with poorer knowledge of colon cancer symptoms, and less physically active individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

There is poor awareness among U.S. adults of the role that physical activity plays in preventing colon cancer.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Health care providers should routinely inform their patients that engaging in regular physical activity greatly reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.

Who will be active? Predicting exercise stage transitions after hospitalization for coronary artery diseaseThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in this Special Issue, entitled Young Investigators' Forum

We describe transitions between exercise stages of change in people with coronary artery disease (CAD) over a 6-month period following a CAD-related hospitalization and evaluate constructs from Protection Motivation Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, the Ecological Model, and participation in cardiac rehabilitation as correlates of stage transition. Seven hundred eighty-two adults hospitalized with CAD were recruited and administered a baseline survey including assessments of theory-based constructs and exercise stage of change. Mailed surveys were used to gather information concerning exercise stage of change and participation in cardiac rehabilitation 6 months later. Progression from pre-action stages between baseline and 6 month follow-up was associated with greater perceived efficacy of exercise to reduce risk of future disease, fewer barriers to exercise, more access to home exercise equipment, and participation in cardiac rehabilitation. Regression from already active stages between baseline and 6 month follow-up was associated with increased perceived susceptibility to a future CAD-related event, fewer intentions to exercise, lower self-efficacy, and more barriers to exercise.