Conclusions : The available literature suggests that African American breast cancer survivors adhere to interventions of various modalities and are capable of making modest to significant changes .
Background : African American breast cancer survivors have a higher incidence of estrogen receptor negative and basal-like ( e.g. , triple negative ) tumors , placing them at greater risk for poorer survival when compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups .
While access to equitable care , late disease stage at diagnosis , tumor biology , and sociodemographic characteristics contribute to health disparities , poor lifestyle characteristics ( i.e. , inactivity , obesity , and poor diet ) contribute equally to these disparities .
Lifestyle interventions hold promise in shielding African American survivors from second cancers , comorbidities , and premature mortality , but they are often underrepresented in studies promoting positive behaviors .
This review examined the available literature to document health behaviors and lifestyle intervention ( i.e. , obesity , physical activity , and sedentary behavior ) studies in African American breast cancer survivors .
Detailed methods of two home-based vegetable gardening intervention trials to improve diet, physical activity, and quality of life in two different populations of cancer survivors.
BACKGROUND Cancer survivors suffer from long-term adverse effects that reduce health-related quality of life ( QOL ) and physical functioning , creating an urgent need to develop effective , durable , and disseminable interventions . Harvest for Health , a home-based vegetable gardening intervention , holds promise for these domains . METHODS This report describes the methods and recruitment experiences from two r and omized controlled feasibility trials that employ a waitlist-controlled design . Delivered in partnership with Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners , this intervention provides one-on-one mentorship of cancer survivors in planning and maintaining three seasonal vegetable gardens over 12months . The primary aim is to determine intervention feasibility and acceptability ; secondary aims are to explore effects on objective and subjective measures of diet , physical activity and function , and QOL and examine participant factors associated with potential effects . One trial is conducted exclusively among 82 female breast cancer survivors residing in the Birmingham , AL metropolitan area ( BBCS ) ; another broadly throughout Alabama among 46 older cancer survivors aged > 60 ( ASCS ) . RESULTS  Response rates were 32.6 % ( BBCS ) and 52.3 % ( ASCS ) . Both trials exceeded 80 % of their accrual target . Leading reasons for in eligibility were removal of > 10 lymph nodes ( lymphedema risk factor ) , lack of physician approval , and unwillingness to be r and omized to the waitlist . CONCLUSION To date , recruitment and implementation of Harvest for Health appears feasible . DISCUSSION Although both studies encountered recruitment challenges , lessons learned can inform future larger-scale studies . Vegetable gardening interventions are of interest to cancer survivors and may provide opportunities to gain life skills leading to improvements in overall health and QOL
Conclusions : The available literature suggests that African American breast cancer survivors adhere to interventions of various modalities and are capable of making modest to significant changes .
Background : African American breast cancer survivors have a higher incidence of estrogen receptor negative and basal-like ( e.g. , triple negative ) tumors , placing them at greater risk for poorer survival when compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups .
While access to equitable care , late disease stage at diagnosis , tumor biology , and sociodemographic characteristics contribute to health disparities , poor lifestyle characteristics ( i.e. , inactivity , obesity , and poor diet ) contribute equally to these disparities .
Lifestyle interventions hold promise in shielding African American survivors from second cancers , comorbidities , and premature mortality , but they are often underrepresented in studies promoting positive behaviors .
This review examined the available literature to document health behaviors and lifestyle intervention ( i.e. , obesity , physical activity , and sedentary behavior ) studies in African American breast cancer survivors .