Affiliation:
1. Department of Population and Public Health Sciences University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
2. Department of Psychology University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
3. Department of Dermatology University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
4. Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California, Irvine Irvine California USA
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveYoung adult survivors of childhood cancers are less likely to be physically active compared to non‐cancer affected controls, putting them at an increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Preliminary research has examined how mental health may contribute to physical activity (PA) in this population; however, those more recently diagnosed and Hispanic survivors have been understudied. The objectives were to examine associations of dimensions of depressive symptoms, demographic characteristics, and cancer‐related predictors with PA among a diverse sample of young adult childhood cancer survivors.MethodsParticipants (N = 895) diagnosed with childhood cancer between 1996 and 2010 (53% Hispanic; Mage = 26.2 ± 4.9 years; Mage = 14.8 ± 4.4 years at diagnosis) were recruited from the Los Angeles County cancer registry. Self‐report surveys assessed current PA, depressive symptoms (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, somatic symptoms, interpersonal problems), late effects of cancer treatment, and demographic factors. Multivariable ordinal regressions examined the study objectives.ResultsAbout 70% of participants engaged in low or moderate frequency PA (fewer than 3 days a week). Participants who were older, female, Asian, or reported more late effects of cancer treatment were less likely to engage in PA. Greater positive affect was significantly associated with higher frequency PA, whereas negative affect, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal problems were not associated with PA.ConclusionsThe findings suggests that positive—but not negative—mental health characteristics are more likely to facilitate or result from PA among young adult survivors of childhood cancers. Interventions seeking to increase PA may benefit from considering positive aspects of mental health/well‐being.
Funder
National Institutes of Health
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Oncology,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology