Evaluation of mHealth Counseling for Lifestyle Behaviors Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Tremendous advances in detection and treatment of breast cancer have led to an increasingly large cohort of survivors focused on health promotion and reducing the risk of recurrence. While adjuvant therapy, such as hormone therapy, is often used to prevent cancer recurrence, modification of lifestyle is an effective tool to increase quality of life, prevent future cancer recurrence and increase long-term health. However, translating these recommendations into population-wide, inexpensive, sustainable programs for cancer survivors has to date proven largely unrealized. These programs are particularly needed in health disparity-facing populations (i.e., low socio-economic status and/or racial/ethnic minority groups) due to the high burden of cancer incidence and mortality they face. Limited translation is due to many factors including the complexity of lifestyle habits, high patient burden of many behavioral interventions, low levels of engagement and adherence to interventions, and the lack of integration of behavior change tools into daily lifestyles. In this context, there is great promise of tools that are mobile, simple, and embedded into daily life routines. The long-term goal of this research program is to develop, evaluate and implement effective mHealth technology interventions that improve cancer management outcomes by changing lifestyle behaviors among urban health- disparity facing populations.

The mHealth intervention for cancer survivors devised by the investigators consists of several components: 1) a commercially available smart phone app that captures patients' behavioral data (steps, sleep, weight) using devices (a FitBit and a FitBit scale), 2) text messages to participants to collect additional data (foods eaten, eating habits), and 3) phone sessions with a non-professionally trained health counselor about diet and physical activity behaviors.

The investigators propose to test the feasibility and preliminary outcomes on weight, behaviors, psychological factors as well as participant engagement in the intervention of our mHealth counseling intervention among 20 breast cancer survivors.