Ninth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Physical activity can improve physical and mental health functioning of cancer survivors. The American Cancer Society and the American College of Sports Medicine have developed guidelines for exercise for cancer survivors. However, approximately one of three cancer survivors in the United States do not participate in any leisure-time physical activity. The aims of our study were to examine how exercise impacts the physical and mental health of cancer survivors in rural Hawai‘i. Adults 18 years of age and older were eligible for participation if 1) they were diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colo-rectal cancer 12 months or more prior to their study participation, and 2) had completed cancer treatment. Fifty-six (56) cancer survivors contacted the research team and were screened for study participation. Thirty-nine (39) cancer survivors indicated they did engage in physical activity for three or more days in the past 7 days, and seventeen (17) did not. Of the 56 cancer survivors screened for study participation thirty-one (31) did not meet the study inclusion criteria, resulting in twenty-five (25) cancer survivors who completed study assessments; fifteen (15) physically active and ten (10) physically inactive. Data collected for study participants included self-report of mental and physical health functioning (SF-36 Version 2); anthropometric measures including height, weight, body mass index, circumference (waist, abdomen, thigh), blood pressure, and heart rate; and body composition assessment using a DEXA. Results indicate that cancer survivors who are physically active have better physical and mental health compared to cancer survivors who are not physically active.