Publications by authors named "Erica Schleicher"
Introduction: Breast cancer survivors have an increased risk for chronic fatigue and altered gut microbiota composition, both with negative health and quality of life affects. Exercise modestly improves fatigue and is linked to gut microbial diversity and production of beneficial metabolites. Studies suggest that gut microbiota composition is a potential mechanism underlying fatigue response to exercise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite well-documented global declines in physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known regarding the specific impact among underserved, rural Alabama counties. This is concerning as this region was already disproportionately burdened by inactivity and related chronic diseases and was among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Thus, the current study examined the effect of COVID-19 on PA in four rural Alabama counties.
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- Many breast cancer survivors do not meet recommended exercise levels despite known health benefits.
- A study found that high anxiety, depression, and additional health issues (comorbidities) are linked to significant barriers preventing these survivors from exercising.
- The findings suggest that healthcare providers should take into account a survivor’s mental health and overall health conditions when offering exercise guidance and support.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examined how exercise program preferences among breast cancer survivors (BCS) changed before and after a behavioral intervention, with findings indicating a significant shift from preferring group exercise to individual exercise after the intervention.
- - The research revealed that those who initially preferred exercising with others experienced greater increases in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over time compared to those who did not.
- - The findings underscore the importance of understanding changing exercise preferences to enhance the design and effectiveness of physical activity intervention programs for breast cancer survivors.
Background: A higher chemotherapy completion rate is associated with better outcomes including treatment efficacy and overall survival. Exercise may have the potential to improve relative dose intensity (RDI) by reducing the frequency and severity of chemotherapy-related toxicities. We examined the association between exercise adherence and RDI and possible clinical- and health-related fitness predictors of RDI.
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- This study examined how exercise program preferences among breast cancer survivors shifted before and after a physical activity intervention called BEAT Cancer, highlighting the importance of these preferences in designing effective interventions.
- Results showed a significant change in preferences from exercising with others to exercising alone post-intervention, and those who preferred exercising with others saw greater increases in physical activity levels.
- The findings suggest that understanding and adapting to individual exercise preferences can enhance the success of physical activity behavior change interventions for breast cancer survivors.
Purpose: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) can improve the quality of life (QoL) for breast cancer survivors (BCS), yet, most do not achieve 150 + weekly minutes of MVPA. This study investigated moderators of response to a physical activity (PA) behavior change intervention for BCS.
Methods: BCS (N = 222) were randomized to the 3-month intervention (BEAT Cancer) or usual care.
Background: Internet-based lifestyle programs are increasingly being used to deliver health behavior change interventions to survivors of cancer. However, little is known about website use in this population or its association with healthy lifestyle changes.
Objective: The aim of this study is to describe lifestyle intervention website use (log-ins, time on website, and page views) among survivors of cancer and patterns of use by participant characteristics.
Background: Increased physical activity (PA) levels are associated with reduced risk and improved survival for several cancers; however, most Americans engage in less than the recommended levels of PA. Using interactive voice response (IVR) systems to provide personalized health education and counseling may represent a high-reach, low-cost strategy for addressing physical inactivity and cancer disparities in disproportionately burdened rural regions. However, there has been a paucity of research conducted in this area to date.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although metastatic breast cancer (MBC) survival is improving, symptoms remain a significant burden. Returning to a cancer center for symptom management can be challenging. Technology-enabled supportive care platforms are worth exploration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Multiple international organizations have called for exercise to become standard practice in the setting of oncology care. The feasibility of integrating exercise within systemic chemotherapy has not been investigated.
Methods: Patients slated to receive infusion therapy between April 2017 and October 2018 were screened for possible inclusion.
Background: Metastatic breast cancer patients are now living longer but cope with potential symptoms of metastatic disease and prolonged cancer treatment. Nutrition can play a vital role in managing these sequelae, and eHealth tools are emerging as promising delivery options for nutrition interventions.
Objective: To qualitatively assess nutritional problems and concerns of women with metastatic breast cancer and to explore how to address these problems within an existing eHealth platform.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate 12 wk of resistance training (RT; n = 16) and protein supplementation (RT + protein; n = 17) on muscular strength, body composition, and blood biomarkers of muscle (insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]), fat (adiponectin), and inflammation (human C-reactive protein [CRP]) in breast cancer survivors (BCS).
Methods: Thirty-three BCS (59 ± 8 yr) were measured pre- and posttraining for one-repetition maximum (1-RM) muscular strength (chest press and leg extension), body composition (lean mass [LM] and fat mass [FM]) via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and serum concentrations of IGF-1, adiponectin, and CRP. RT consisted of 2 d·wk using 10 exercises for two sets of 10-12 repetitions and a third set to failure at ~65%-85% of 1-RM.