Grant Number:	5R21CA152789-02 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Smith, Katherine
Organization:	Johns Hopkins University
Project Title:	Eating for Life: Dietary Behaviors Among Long Term Cancer Survivors
Fiscal Year:	2012

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Designing effective health promotion initiatives for the growing population of more than 11 million U.S. cancer survivors is now of critical importance. The full potential of the significant gains made thus far in cancer prevention and control will only be fulfilled when survivors are provided with the necessary tools to maximize health and quality of life throughout their entire life course. While much is known about the role of behavior in cancer incidence, our understanding of the effects of behavior on key health outcomes for survivors is not nearly as well understood. Changes in diet are one promising, but as yet not fully explored avenue for health promotion among cancer survivors. To fully understand whether dietary modification can meaningfully improve survivor health, we must develop intervention protocols that build upon detailed understanding of survivors' current eating practices and how cancer shapes an individual's self concept and readiness for behavior change. The data produced from the proposed research will provide insight into the social, personal and clinical contexts within which future dietary interventions for long term cancer survivors would be situated. We propose an innovative mixed-methods approach to examining diet among cancer survivors who are no longer undergoing active treatment. Our research methods integrate the holistic context of survivors' ongoing life course and evolving models of clinical care. The research will occur in two sequential and complementary phases. Phase 1 will consist of key informant interviews with 30 health care providers who care for cancer survivors, and phase 2 will integrate detailed qualitative interview data around cancer treatment and history and survivorship identity with current dietary data from a sample of 60 long term survivors of non Hodgkin lymphoma, breast and prostate cancer. The ultimate objective of this exploratory study is to generate hypotheses pertaining to effective and sustainable dietary interventions that reflect both individuals' relationship with their cancer status and the changing model of survivorship care.




"We're Just Not Prepared for Eating Over Our Whole Life": A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding Dietary Behaviors Among Longer Term Cancer Survivors.
Authors: Klassen A.C. , Smith K.C. , Shuster M. , Coa K.I. , Caulfield L.E. , Helzlsouer K.J. , Peairs K.S. , Shockney L.D. , Stoney D. , Hannum S. .
Source: Integrative Cancer Therapies, 2018 Jun; 17(2), p. 350-362.
EPub date: 2017-10-03 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 28971702
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Identity reconstruction among older cancer survivors: Age and meaning in the context of a life-altering illness.
Authors: Hannum S.M. , Clegg Smith K. , Coa K. , Klassen A.C. .
Source: Journal Of Psychosocial Oncology, 2016 Nov-Dec; 34(6), p. 477-492.
EPub date: 2016-08-11 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 27715772
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A Qualitative Study Of Dietary Discussions As An Emerging Task For Cancer Clinicians
Authors: Smith K.C. , Coa K.I. , Klassen A.C. .
Source: Sage Open Medicine, 2016; 4, p. 2050312116665935.
PMID: 27635247
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The Salience Of Cancer And The "survivor" Identity For People Who Have Completed Acute Cancer Treatment: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Smith K.C. , Klassen A.C. , Coa K.I. , Hannum S.M. .
Source: Journal Of Cancer Survivorship : Research And Practice, 2015-10-13 00:00:00.0; , .
PMID: 26462498
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Exploring Important Influences On The Healthfulness Of Prostate Cancer Survivors' Diets
Authors: Coa K.I. , Smith K.C. , Klassen A.C. , Thorpe R.J. , Caulfield L.E. .
Source: Qualitative Health Research, 2015 Jun; 25(6), p. 857-70.
PMID: 25857653
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Clinical Care Providers' Perspectives On Body Size And Weight Management Among Long-term Cancer Survivors
Authors: Baker A.M. , Smith K.C. , Coa K.I. , Helzlsouer K.J. , Caulfield L.E. , Peairs K.S. , Shockney L.D. , Klassen A.C. .
Source: Integrative Cancer Therapies, 2015 May; 14(3), p. 240-8.
PMID: 25716349
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Capitalizing On The "teachable Moment" To Promote Healthy Dietary Changes Among Cancer Survivors: The Perspectives Of Health Care Providers
Authors: Coa K.I. , Smith K.C. , Klassen A.C. , Caulfield L.E. , Helzlsouer K. , Peairs K. , Shockney L. .
Source: Supportive Care In Cancer : Official Journal Of The Multinational Association Of Supportive Care In Cancer, 2015 Mar; 23(3), p. 679-86.
PMID: 25160494
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