Abstract A06: Effects of Integrated Risk Counseling on Cancer Prevention Behaviors
Authors: Jefferson Melanie S. , Weathers Benita , Bellamy Scarlett , Delmoor Ernestine , Briggs Vanessa , Johnson Jerry , Rogers Rodney , Purnell Joseph , Hughes-Halbert Chanita 
Published: January 2014

Introduction: Obesity, which has important implications for cancer risk and outcomes, is the cumulative effect of diet and physical activity behaviors. Many adults, especially those from racial and ethnic minority groups, do not meet the recommended guidelines for these behaviors. Previous research has shown that cancer risk information is effective at motivating early detection, but empirical data are not available on the effects of risk factor information on prevention behaviors.

Purpose: We conducted a randomized trial to evaluate the effects of alternate forms of risk factor education on prevention behaviors in a community-based sample of African American adults (n=212).

Methods: This study was conducted as part of an academic-community partnership; the intervention protocols were developed collaboratively by a multi-disciplinary investigative team consisting of academic and community investigators. The integrated risk counseling (IRC) protocol provided education about the overlap in behavioral risk factors for cancer and cardiovascular disease and the disease-specific (DSC) protocol only provided education about behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Elements from motivational interviewing were incorporated into IRC and DSC; interactive activities were included in both protocols to develop and enhance skills for increasing fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity. Adherence to recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity were evaluated by self-report by telephone at baseline and at 1-month following intervention. We predicted that IRC would lead to greater adherence rates compared to DSC.

Regression analyses, using an intent-to-treat approach were conducted to evaluate adherence rates for behavioral outcomes while controlling for baseline levels.

Results: Compared to DSC, IRC was associated with increased adherence rates for fruit intake only (OR=1.85, 95% CI=0.99, 3.44, p=0.05). At baseline, 37.4% of participants who were randomized to IRC met the recommended guidelines for fruit intake, but at follow-up 57.4% were adherent. There were no significant changes in adherence rates for fruit intake among those who were randomized to DSC (31.1% versus 41.5%).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that integrated risk factor education leads to improved behavioral prevention for some outcomes. Making multiple behavioral changes simultaneously may be particularly difficult.

Citation Format: Melanie S. Jefferson, Benita Weathers, Scarlett Bellamy, Ernestine Delmoor, Vanessa Briggs, Jerry Johnson, Rodney Rogers, Joseph Purnell, Chanita Hughes-Halbert. Effects of integrated risk counseling on cancer prevention behaviors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A06.