Abstract 4227: The Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating Study: A public use data resource for individual and dyadic analyses of cancer preventive behaviors
Authors: Linda C. Nebeling, Laura Dwyer, April Oh, Erin Hennessy
Journal: Cancer Research (2017)

Abstract The NCI’s Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study was designed to examine multilevel factors that relate to cancer preventive behaviors within parent-adolescent dyads. The neighborhood, home and school environments, parenting, psychosocial variables and demographics were assessed. Outcomes were diet and physical activity behaviors, in addition to sleep, sun safety, and tobacco use. This presentation will describe the FLASHE resources that are available to facilitate individual and dyad-level analyses related to cancer preventive behaviors. The FLASHE study involved two cross-sectional, web-based surveys of adolescents (12-17 years old) and their parents that were administered between April -October 2014. One survey focused on diet and another focused on physical activity and other cancer-preventive behaviors. These surveys included constructs and items that were informed by: existing literature, input from scientific experts, and cognitive testing with 18 parent-adolescent pairs. A subset of adolescents also wore an accelerometer for seven days to objectively assess physical activity. A total of 1,573 parent-adolescent dyads completed all surveys. Of these dyads, 38% were mother-daughter dyads, 36% mother-son, 13% father-son, and 12% father-daughter. Parents were predominantly female (75%), married (72%), and home-owners (72%), and 47% had a 4-year college degree. The majority of parents (70%) and adolescents (64%) were non-Hispanic White. Approximately 16% of parents and adolescents were non-Hispanic Black, and 7% of parents (10% of adolescents) were Hispanic. Several resources are available for FLASHE data users. Survey datasets are available for free download. Separate datasets for parents and adolescents facilitate individual-level analyses on parents’ or adolescents’ health behaviors. Datasets can also be merged to conduct dyadic analyses, such as examining associations in health behavior constructs within dyad members. Additional resources include: a methodology report, data users guide, list of FLASHE constructs with references, sample statistical code for conducting a dyadic analysis (Actor-Partner Interdependence Model), and an introductory webinar on dyadic data. These materials will be accompanied by a forthcoming journal theme issue focused on the FLASHE study, including topics such as: study development and methodology, physical activity and diet assessment, and individual and dyadic approaches to examining FLASHE data. Data on parent- and adolescent-reported constructs included in FLASHE offer multiple opportunities to study research questions among individuals and dyads and related cancer prevention behaviors. Researchers interested in these areas can access FLASHE data and resources online to examine their own research questions. Citation Format: Linda C. Nebeling, Laura Dwyer, April Oh, Erin Hennessy. The Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating Study: A public use data resource for individual and dyadic analyses of cancer preventive behaviors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4227. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4227