Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Ed. Specalist

Degree

*Ed.S.

Degree Name

Education Specialist (Ed.S.)

Degree Granting Department

Graduate School

Major Professor

Kathy Bradley-Klug, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Marilyn Stern, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Robert Dedrick, Ph.D.

Keywords

AYA, Health Literacy, Healthy Lifestyle, Home Environment, Race/Ethnicity

Abstract

Many Adolescents and Young Adult (AYA) cancer patients/survivors do not engage in healthy eating and physical activity recommendations. The present study assessed the role of race/ethnicity, health literacy, and home environmental influences and its association with adherence to healthy eating and physical activity. AYA patients/survivors from Moffitt Cancer Center (n = 273) completed an anonymous online survey. Self-reported measures about eating habits, physical activity, health literacy, and social support were used. Black/African Americans reported worse eating habits than White and Hispanic participants. Obese participants showed a similar trend compared to all other Body Mass Index groups. Adherence to physical activity was positively correlated with Friends’ Discouragement of Eating Habits and Family and Friends’ Participation in Exercise. Black/African Americans showed higher Family Encouragement of Eating Habits than White participants. Black/African Americans also reported higher Friends’ Encouragement of Eating Habits than White and Hispanic participants. Current patients reported higher Family Encouragement of Eating Habits than survivors. Compared to participants from other races (i.e., Asian American, Asian or Pacific Islander, Multi-racial), White participants showed less Family and Friends’ Discouragement of Eating Habits. Participants from other races reported higher Friends’ Discouragement of Eating Habits than White and Hispanics. Results emphasize the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight and highlight family and friends’ roles in eating and physical activity behaviors. Further research should focus on studies that might help explain the mechanism by which this influence takes place.

Download

Share

COinS