Using Behavioral Economics to Achieve Improved Healthy Behavior Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors
| Status: | Active, not recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Breast Cancer, Cancer |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Oncology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 20 - 75 |
| Updated: | 1/10/2019 |
| Start Date: | June 2015 |
| End Date: | December 2019 |
Preventing or reducing obesity is one factor that has been hailed as a way to improve quality
of life, reduce recurrence, and increase survival rates among breast cancer survivors. An
experienced team of multi-disciplinary researchers has developed an innovative and unique
approach to encourage enhanced nutrition and exercise behaviors in this population using
principles of behavioral economics. In particular, the use of social norms or exemplars has
been shown in other applications to be effective, and if successful in this population could
be inexpensively scaled up for widespread adoption. The proposed pilot study develops a
system of text messages for social/mobile media that will provide ongoing reinforcement of
desired behavior in breast cancer survivors. These messages would focus on achieving
compliance with the expert-developed nutrition and exercise recommendations of the American
Cancer Society. In the main study, 310 breast cancer survivors will be randomly placed in
intervention and control groups for the 12 week study. Behavior change will be measured using
established measures of self-reported behavior. In a sub-study, 60 of the breast cancer
survivor participants will also provide blood and urine samples so changes in biomarkers can
be assessed. The impact of the study will be measured by biomarkers and self-reported survey
responses.
of life, reduce recurrence, and increase survival rates among breast cancer survivors. An
experienced team of multi-disciplinary researchers has developed an innovative and unique
approach to encourage enhanced nutrition and exercise behaviors in this population using
principles of behavioral economics. In particular, the use of social norms or exemplars has
been shown in other applications to be effective, and if successful in this population could
be inexpensively scaled up for widespread adoption. The proposed pilot study develops a
system of text messages for social/mobile media that will provide ongoing reinforcement of
desired behavior in breast cancer survivors. These messages would focus on achieving
compliance with the expert-developed nutrition and exercise recommendations of the American
Cancer Society. In the main study, 310 breast cancer survivors will be randomly placed in
intervention and control groups for the 12 week study. Behavior change will be measured using
established measures of self-reported behavior. In a sub-study, 60 of the breast cancer
survivor participants will also provide blood and urine samples so changes in biomarkers can
be assessed. The impact of the study will be measured by biomarkers and self-reported survey
responses.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Female
- Age: 20-75 years old
- No current pregnancy or lactation
- Was diagnosed with Stage 0-IIIB disease and completed all local and systemic therapy
(including Herceptin) at least 3 months prior to entry. Women can be on or off
anti-hormone therapy.
- Ambulatory
- Willing to be randomized
Exclusion Criteria:
- Current participation in other treatment (chemo/radiotherapy) clinical trials
- Instructed by doctor not to exercise
- Cannot read English
- Not able to receive text messages
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