Contextual Factors Relevant to Implementing Social Risk Factor Screening and Referrals in Cancer Survivorship: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Social risk factors such as food insecurity and lack of transportation can negatively affect health outcomes, yet implementation of screening and referral for social risk factors is limited in medical settings, particularly in cancer survivorship.

Methods: We conducted 18 qualitative, semistructured interviews among oncology teams in 3 health systems in Washington, DC, during February and March 2022. We applied the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment Framework to develop a deductive codebook, performed thematic analysis on the interview transcripts, and summarized our results descriptively.

The Effect of a 6-Month Exercise Intervention Trial on Allostatic Load in Black Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer: the FIERCE Study.

Background: Allostatic load comprises cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory markers, which is characterized by abdominal obesity, high blood glucose levels, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension and associated with an increased risk in breast cancer.

Methods: The study was a 6-month, 3-arm randomized controlled trial of two moderate-intensity exercise interventions (compared with a control group) among obese, physically inactive, postmenopausal Black women aged 45 to 65 years, who were at increased risk for breast cancer based on the CARE model. Two hundred thirteen participants were randomly assigned to (1) supervised, facility-based aerobic exercise intervention (n = 73), (2) home-based exercise intervention (n = 69), or (3) a wait-listed control group (n = 71).

A Feasibility Study of Smoking Cessation Utilizing an Exercise Intervention among Black Women: 'Quit and Fit'.

Background: Women who engage in higher levels of exercise while trying to quit smoking have been shown to be less likely to relapse and to sustain their smoking abstinence longer. This study sought to examine the benefits of exercise for improving smoking cessation among Black women.

Methods: We evaluated the feasibility of a 12-week smoking and exercise intervention, Quit and Fit, tailored for Black women.

The impact of social constraints on insomnia among African-American breast cancer survivors: The mediating role of fear of recurrence.

Objective: Insomnia is a significant concern among African-American breast cancer survivors (BCS). Social constraints (SC)-receiving unsupportive or critical responses when expressing trauma-related emotions-and fear of recurrence (FOR) have been associated with insomnia. We examined FOR as a mediator in the relationship between SC and insomnia in African-American BCS.

Effect of exercise on metabolic syndrome in black women by family history and predicted risk of breast cancer: The FIERCE Study.

Background: This study examined the effects of supervised and home-based exercise interventions on changes in metabolic syndrome (MetS) according to breast cancer risk (high vs low) in black women enrolled in the Focused Intervention on Exercise to Reduce Cancer (FIERCE) trial.

Methods: Postmenopausal, obese, metabolically unhealthy black women, 45 to 65 years old, were randomized to supervised aerobic exercise (73 women), home-based walking-based exercise (69 women), or a control arm (71 women). Participants in the exercise arms underwent a 6-month intervention with study assessments conducted at the baseline and 6 months.

The effect of a randomized controlled physical activity trial on health related quality of life in metabolically unhealthy African-American women: FIERCE STUDY.

Purpose: African-American women (AAW) are more likely to be metabolically unhealthy than White women (WW). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased breast cancer risk and mortality from breast cancer is greater in AAW compared to WW. Data show MetS affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

A Restorative Yoga Intervention for African-American Breast Cancer Survivors: a Pilot Study.

Background: Data show that yoga is effective for improving health-related outcomes in breast cancer survivors. While breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African-American women (AAW), AAW are less likely to engage in yoga compared to other ethnic groups. The goals of the current study were to assess the feasibility of an 8-week restorative yoga program among African-American breast cancer survivors (AA BCS).

A Self-Administered Stress Management Intervention for Hispanic Patients Undergoing Cancer Chemotherapy.

This study evaluated whether a self-administered stress management training (SSMT) could improve quality of life (QOL) and reduce distress among Hispanics receiving chemotherapy across multiple community clinical settings. Participants were randomized to receive SSMT (n = 106) or usual care (UCO) (n = 113). The primary outcome-QOL (SF-36) and secondary outcomes depression (CES-D), and anxiety (STAI) were assessed longitudinally over four chemotherapy cycles.

Factors Associated with Exercise Motivation among African-American Men.

Objective: The primary aims of this study were to: (1) characterize exercise stages of change among a sample of African-American men, (2) determine if exercise motivation was associated with self-reported exercise behavior, and (3) examine if groups of personal (i.e., age, BMI, income, educational attainment, and perceived health), psycho-social (i.

An Examination of Self-Rated Health Among African-American Men.

Self-rated health is a concept that has been linked to objective health outcomes but has not received much attention with regard to African-American men. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation of multiple factors (sociodemographic, health behaviors, personal health measures, and personality traits) with self-rated health in a sample of African-American men. The role personality plays in self-rated health in combination with other variables among African-American males has not thoroughly been explored.

Possible Contribution of PTSD to Altered Cortisol Activity in Young Adult Obese African-American Women.

Objective: African-Americans have been found to experience increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obesity, and flatter diurnal cortisol slopes compared to other demographic groups. Further exploration, however, is needed to understand how PTSD impacts diurnal cortisol activity in obese African-American women. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between salivary cortisol levels and PTSD in a sample of obese young adult African-American women and to examine how depression and insomnia influence the relationship.

An exercise trial targeting African-American women with metabolic syndrome and at high risk for breast cancer: Rationale, design, and methods.

Background: Metabolic syndrome and obesity are known risk factors for breast cancers. Exercise interventions can potentially modify circulating biomarkers of breast cancer risk but evidence in African-Americans and women with metabolic syndrome is lacking.

Methods/design: The Focused Intervention on Exercise to Reduce CancEr (FIERCE) trial is a prospective, 6-month, 3-arm, randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of exercise on obesity, metabolic syndrome components, and breast cancer biomarkers among African-American women at high risk of breast cancer.

Obesity and Weight Loss Attempts among Subjects with a Personal History of Cancer.

Objectives: Obesity is a risk factor for many cancers and obese cancer patients have a poorer prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of obesity and attempts to lose weight among cancer survivors. The effects of cancer treatment and time since cancer treatment were also evaluated.

The role of exergaming in improving physical activity: a review.

Background: The high prevalence of obesity in America can be attributed to inadequate energy expenditure as a result of high levels of physical inactivity. This review presents an overview of the current literature on physical activity, specifically through active videogame systems (exergaming) and how these systems can help to increase physical activity levels.

Methods: The search strategy for this review was to identify previous studies that investigated energy expenditure levels using a single active video game or a combination of active videogames.

Role of life events in the presence of colon polyps among African Americans.

Background: African Americans have disproportionately higher incidence and death rates of colorectal cancer among all ethnic groups in the United States. Several lifestyle factors (e.g.

Social support and physical activity as moderators of life stress in predicting baseline depression and change in depression over time in the Women's Health Initiative.

Purpose: To determine whether social support and/or physical activity buffer the association between stressors and increasing risk of depression symptoms at baseline and at 3-year follow-up.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. 91,912 community-dwelling post-menopausal women participated in this prospective cohort study.

Correlates of depressive symptomatology in African-American breast cancer patients.

Purpose: This study assessed the levels of depressive symptomatology in African-American women with breast cancer compared to those of women without breast cancer and examined demographic, psychosocial, and clinical factors correlated with depression.

Methods: A total of 152 African-American women were recruited from Washington, DC and surrounding suburbs. Breast cancer patients (n = 76 cases) were recruited from a health care center and women without cancer were recruited from health fairs (n = 76 comparison).

Physical activity reduces breast cancer risk in African American women.

Objective: To examine the relationship between physical activity and breast cancer in African American women.

Design: A population-based case-control study was conducted with 199 women (97 cases and 102 controls) from the Washington, DC metro area. A physical activity questionnaire elicited responses on frequency of walking for exercise and vigorous physical activity (eg, running, aerobics) in the past year.

Use and helpfulness of self-administered stress management therapy in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy in community clinical settings.

The purpose of this multicenter longitudinal randomized controlled trial was to examine the efficacy of self-administered stress management training (SSMT) in improving quality of life and reducing psychological distress among patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Participants were randomized to SSMT (n = 111) or usual psychosocial care only (n = 109). Mixed linear modeling demonstrated no significant improvements in primary outcome measures; however, participants assigned to SSMT reported using significantly more relaxation techniques (p < 0.

An exploratory analysis of fear of recurrence among African-American breast cancer survivors.

Background: Fear of recurrence (FOR) is a psychological concern that has been studied extensively in cancer survivors but has not been adequately examined in African-American breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: This exploratory study describes the extent and nature of FOR in African-American breast cancer survivors. FOR is examined in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, treatment-related characteristics, psychological distress, and quality of life (QOL).

The effect of a supervised exercise trial on exercise adherence among African American Men: a pilot study.

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to determine the effect of a supervised short-term exercise trial on exercise adherence in a sample of African American males.

Methods: We observed exercise adherence rates among a group of African American men in response to an exercise intervention. Exercise adherence was determined by dividing the total number of actual sessions attended by the total number of possible sessions (12 sessions).

Understanding sleep disturbances in African-American breast cancer survivors: a pilot study.

Objectives: The goals of this study were (i) to report the prevalence and nature of sleep disturbances, as determined by clinically significant insomnia symptoms, in a sample of African-American breast cancer survivors; (ii) to assess the extent to which intrusive thoughts about breast cancer and fear of recurrence contributes to insomnia symptoms; and (iii) to assess the extent to which insomnia symptoms contribute to fatigue.

Methods: African-American breast cancer survivors completed surveys pertaining to demographics, medical history, insomnia symptoms, and intrusive thoughts about breast cancer, fear of cancer recurrence, and fatigue. Hierarchical regression models were performed to investigate the degree to which intrusive thoughts and concerns of cancer recurrence accounted for the severity of insomnia symptoms and insomnia symptom severity's association with fatigue.

Impact of perceived racial discrimination on health screening in black women.

Perceived discrimination has been shown to be related to health screening behavior. The present study examines the effect of discrimination on cancer screening among women in the Black Women's Health Study. Five self-report items measured discrimination in everyday life and three items measured experiences of major discrimination.

An assessment of the CES-D scale factor structure in black women: The Black Women's Health Study.

This study investigates the dimensional structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale in US Black women with and without history of cancer via single-group and multi-group analyses. The CES-D questionnaire was administered in 1999 to 50,774 black women who are participants in the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS). For our analysis, we utilized a group of 690 women with a history of at least one of the three types of cancer (breast cancer, colon cancer or lung cancer) and an age-matched group of 1,380 healthy women with no history of any cancer or other chronic conditions including myocardial infarctions, stroke, angina, diabetes, lupus, and sarcoidosis.

Racial discrimination and breast cancer incidence in US Black women: the Black Women's Health Study.

Perceived discrimination may contribute to somatic disease. The association between perceived discrimination and breast cancer incidence was assessed in the Black Women's Health Study. In 1997, participants completed questions on perceived discrimination in two domains: "everyday" discrimination (e.