Colon cancer information as a source of exercise motivation for relatives of patients with colon cancer

Abstract

Using a Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) framework, this study examined whether factual colon cancer information is a meaningful source of exercise motivation for relatives of patients with colon cancer. One hundred sixty-six inactive relatives were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: PMT group (intervention); and non-PMT group (attention control). At baseline (T1) participants completed demographic information, a questionnaire designed to assess their beliefs toward exercise and colon cancer as well as their exercise intentions. At T2 (one week following T1) participants watched one of two DVD videos that were created for the study. The intervention DVD contained exercise and colon cancer information that was yoked within the four major components of PMT: perceived vulnerability (PV); perceived severity (PS); response efficacy (RE); and self-efficacy (SE), while the attention control DVD contained general diet and cancer information. Immediately following watching the DVD, participants completed the same measures as in T1. Participants assigned to the PMT intervention group showed significant improvement in PV, RE, SE and exercise intentions, whereas participants assigned to the attention control group showed significant improvement only in RE. RE, SE, and PS made significant and unique contributions to prediction of exercise intention. Overall, the results of the present study demonstrate that a single exposure media intervention grounded in a PMT framework can change individuals' exercise and colon cancer beliefs, as well as change their exercise intentions. Implications of these findings and direction for future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• protection motivation theory
• colon cancer
• behavior change intervention
• exercise intentions

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Jim Koropatnick, Dr. Craig McFadyen and Dr. Michael Sanatani for their expertise on (a) the severity and vulnerability of colon cancer and (b) the benefits of exercise in reducing the risk of colon cancer. The authors would also like to acknowledge dieticians Susan Lander and Jenny Pearce for their expert commentary on diet and its relationship to cancer in general. The authors would like to thank Ron Hutton from the Edcom Multimedia for his assistance with filming and editing the DVD material. Finally, the authors would like to thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for funding this research study. This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health under RFA # C-EX-0407-03 and through cooperative agreements with members of the Colon Cancer Family Registry and P.I.s (Dr. Steven Gallinger). The content of this manuscript does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the National Cancer Institute or any of the collaborating centers in the CFRs, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US Government or the CFR.