Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719, USA.
Psychooncology. 2011 Jan;20(1):53-61. doi: 10.1002/pon.1707.
Following the end of adjuvant treatment, breast cancer survivors must cope with uncertainty related to the possibility of recurrence and the loss of the 'safety net' treatment provides. This study examined breast cancer survivors' efforts to manage uncertainty by making lifestyle changes, such as improvement in diet and exercise. We further investigated the role of women's common-sense beliefs about their cancer, as described by Leventhal's self-regulation theory, in explaining post-treatment changes.
At 3 weeks and 3 months post-treatment, 79 women who received adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for stages 0-III breast cancer (mean age=55 years) completed assessments of changes in health practices and other behaviors. Participants also completed measures of beliefs about the causes, course, personal control, and consequences of their cancer.
Survivors reported behavior changes directed toward improving physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Results further indicated that women who believed their cancer had more severe consequences and those who attributed the development of cancer or the prevention of recurrence to health behaviors or stress were most likely to report improvement in diet or physical activity and reduction in alcohol use or stress.
Findings suggest that breast cancer survivors are poised to make lifestyle changes after treatment ends, creating an opportune time for health promotion interventions. Understanding women's cancer beliefs could help guide the development of tailored, proactive interventions to improve the health and well-being of breast cancer survivors.
辅助治疗结束后，乳腺癌幸存者必须应对与复发可能性相关的不确定性，以及失去治疗带来的“安全网”。本研究通过生活方式的改变（如改善饮食和锻炼）来考察乳腺癌幸存者应对不确定性的努力。我们进一步调查了女性对癌症的常识性信念(Leventhal 自我调节理论所描述的)在解释治疗后变化中的作用。
在接受 0-III 期乳腺癌辅助化疗和/或放疗治疗后 3 周和 3 个月时，79 名女性（平均年龄 55 岁）完成了健康实践和其他行为变化的评估。参与者还完成了对癌症的病因、病程、个人控制和后果的信念的测量。
幸存者报告了旨在改善身体、情感和精神健康的行为变化。结果进一步表明，那些认为癌症后果更严重的女性，以及那些将癌症的发生或复发归因于健康行为或压力的女性，最有可能报告改善饮食或增加身体活动，减少饮酒或减轻压力。
研究结果表明，乳腺癌幸存者在治疗结束后准备进行生活方式的改变，这为健康促进干预提供了一个机会。了解女性对癌症的信念可以帮助指导制定有针对性的、主动的干预措施，以改善乳腺癌幸存者的健康和福祉。
