Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the exercise beliefs of breast cancer survivors before and after participation in a randomized trial. Prior to randomization, 52 breast cancer survivors completed exercise belief measures based on the theory of planned behavior. After the trial, participants assigned to the exercise group (n = 24) completed the belief measures again. Results show that there was significant variability in the expected benefits of exercise prerandomization, ranging from 40% for a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence to 94% for an improved energy level. Moreover, attitudes toward exercise and perceptions of control were higher in the exercise group after the exercise program. The findings are discussed in terms of the veracity of the exercise beliefs held by breast cancer survivors as well as the aspects of the program that may have contributed to the positive changes in exercise beliefs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.
Ajzen, I. (2001). Construction of a standard questionnaire for the theory of planned behavior. Retrieved April 6, 2001, from http://www.unix.oit.umass.edu/~aizen
Cella, D., Davis, K., Breitbart, W., & Curt, G. (2001). Cancer-related fatigue: Prevalence of proposed diagnostic criteria in a United States sample of cancer survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 19(14), 3385–3391.
Courneya, K. S., & Friedenreich, C. M. (1999). Utility of the theory of planned behavior for understanding exercise during breast cancer treatment. Psycho-Oncology, 8(2), 112–122.
Courneya, K. S., Jones, L. W., Fairey, A. S., Campbell, K. L., Ladha, A. B., Friedenreich, C. M., et al. (2004). Physical activity in cancer survivors: Implications for recurrence and mortality. Cancer Therapy, 2, 1–12.
Courneya, K. S., Mackey, J. R., Bell, G. J., Jones, L. W., Field, C. J., & Fairey, A. S. (2003). Randomized controlled trial of exercise training in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors: Cardiopulmonary and quality of life outcomes. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 21(9), 1660–1668.
Courneya, K. S., Mackey, J. R., & McKenzie, D. C. (2002). Exercise for breast cancer survivors: Research evidence and clinical guidelines. The Physician and SportsMedicine, 30, 33–42.
Fairey, A. S., Courneya, K. S., Field, C. J., Bell, G. J., Jones, L. W., & Mackey, J. R. (2003). Effects of exercise training on fasting insulin, insulin resistance, insulin-like growth factors, and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 12(8), 721–727.
Fairey, A. S., Courneya, K. S., Field, C. J., Bell, G. J., Jones, L. W., & Mackey, J. R. (2005a). Effects of exercise training on c-reactive protein in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 19, 381–388.
Fairey, A. S., Courneya, K. S., Field, C. J., Bell, G. J., Jones, L. W., & Mackey, J. R. (2005b). Randomized controlled trial of exercise and blood immune function in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Journal of Applied Physiology, 98, 1534–1540.
Fairey, A. S., Courneya, K. S., Field, C. J., & Mackey, J. R. (2002). Physical exercise and immune system function in cancer survivors: A comprehensive review and future directions. Cancer, 94(2), 539–551.
Kolden, G. G., Strauman, T. J., Ward, A., Kuta, J., Woods, T. E., Schneider, K. L., et al. (2002). A pilot study of group exercise training (GET) for women with primary breast cancer: Feasibility and health benefits. Psycho-Oncology, 11(5), 447–456.
Pinto, B. M., & Maruyama, N. C. (1999). Exercise in the rehabilitation of breast cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 8, 191–206.
Watson, T., & Mock, V. (2004). Exercise as an intervention for cancer-related fatigue. Physical Therapy, 84(8), 736–743.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Courneya, K.S., Jones, L.W., Mackey, I.R. et al. Exercise beliefs of breast cancer survivors before and after participation in a randomized controlled trial. Int. J. Behav. Med. 13, 259–264 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm1303_10
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm1303_10