Prevalence of loneliness and associations with health behaviours and body mass index in 5835 people living with and beyond cancer: a cross-sectional study

Author:

Smith Susan,Lally Phillippa,Steptoe Andrew,Chavez-Ugalde Yanaina,Beeken Rebecca J,Fisher Abi

Abstract

Abstract Background A cancer diagnosis and its treatment may be an especially isolating experience. Despite evidence that positive health behaviours can improve outcomes for people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC), no studies have examined associations between loneliness and different health behaviours in this population. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of loneliness in a large sample of UK adults LWBC and to explore whether loneliness was associated with multiple health behaviours. Methods Participants were adults (aged  18 years) diagnosed with breast, prostate or colorectal cancer who completed the Health and Lifestyle After Cancer Survey. Loneliness was reported using the UCLA loneliness score, dichotomised into higher ( 6) versus lower (< 6) loneliness. Engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, dietary intake, smoking status, alcohol use, and self-reported height and weight were recorded. Behaviours were coded to reflect meeting or not meeting the World Cancer Research Fund recommendations for people LWBC. Logistic regression analyses explored associations between loneliness and health behaviours. Covariates were age, sex, ethnicity, education, marital status, living situation, cancer type, spread and treatment, time since treatment, time since diagnosis and number of comorbid conditions. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results 5835 participants, mean age 67.4 (standard deviation = 11.8) years, completed the survey. 56% were female (n = 3266) and 44% (n = 2553) male, and 48% (n = 2786) were living with or beyond breast cancer, 32% (n = 1839) prostate, and 21% (n = 1210) colorectal. Of 5485 who completed the loneliness scale, 81% (n = 4423) of participants reported lower and 19% (n = 1035) higher loneliness. After adjustment for confounders, those reporting higher levels of loneliness had lower odds of meeting the WCRF recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.78, 95% Confidence Internal [CI], 0.67, 0.97, p =.028), fruit and vegetable intake (OR 0.81, CI 0.67, 1.00, p =.046), and smoking (OR 0.62, 0.46, 0.84, p =.003). No association was observed between loneliness and the other dietary behaviours, alcohol, or body mass index. Conclusions Loneliness is relatively common in people LWBC and may represent an unmet need. People LWBC who experience higher levels of loneliness may need additional support to improve their health behaviours.

Funder

Cancer Research UK

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Reference112 articles.

1. Macmillan Cancer Support. Statistics fact sheet 2022 [Available from: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/dfsmedia/1a6f23537f7f4519bb0cf14c45b2a629/9468-10061/2022-cancer-statistics-factsheet.

2. Maddams J, Utley M, Møller H. Projections of cancer prevalence in the United Kingdom, 2010–2040. Br J Cancer. 2012;107(7):1195–202. https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2012.366.

3. Cancer Council Australia. Facts and figures. Cancer statistics in Australia 2023 [Available from: https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/what-is-cancer/facts-and-figures.

4. Independent Cancer Taskforce. Achieving world-class cancer outcomes: a strategy for england 2015–2020. 2016.

5. NHS. The NHS Long Term Plan. 2019.

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3