Maintenance of effects of a home-based physical activity program among breast cancer survivors

Purpose Although physical activity (PA) adoption improves fitness and psychological well-being among cancer survivors, PA maintenance has not been examined. This paper presents follow-up of a home-based PA program for women treated for early-stage breast cancer. Materials and methods Eighty-six sedentary women (mean age = 53.14 years, SD = 9.70) were randomly assigned to a PA or contact control group. The PA group received a 12-week telephone counseling program to adopt PA. Assessments were conducted at baseline, end-of-intervention (12 weeks), 6, and 9 months post-baseline. Results When comparing change from end-of-intervention (12 weeks) between groups, a significant reduction was observed in minutes of PA at 6 months (t = -2.10, p < 0.05), but there was no decrease in intervention effect at 9 months (t = -0.19, p = 0.84). Similarly, post-intervention reductions in fatigue were lost at 6 months (t = 3.27, p < 0.01), but remained present at 9 months (t = 1.65, p = 0.10). PA group's fitness improvements were maintained at both follow-ups (t = 1.04, p = 0.30 and t = 0.05, p = 0.96). The previously significant intervention effect on vigor was maintained at 6 months (t = 1.32, p = 0.19) but was significantly reduced at 9 months (t = -2.15, p < 0.05). PA participants were more likely to progress in motivational readiness at 6 (OR = 5.95, 95% CI = 2.30, 15.36) and 9 months (OR = 4.09, 95% CI = 1.69, 9.87); however, group differences in meeting PA guidelines were not maintained. Conclusion Some positive effects of a home-based PA intervention for breast cancer patients were maintained at 6 and 9 months.