A Qualitative Study Exploring the Perceptions of Sedentary Behavior in Prostate Cancer Survivors Receiving Androgen-Deprivation Therapy

Purpose/Objectives: To describe and understand the perceptions of sedentary behavior (SED) and the interests and preferences for a SED intervention of men on androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) within a two-phase (formative and intervention research) feasibility study.

Research Approach: Qualitative, descriptive.

Setting: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Odette Cancer Centre, both in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Participants: 27 men on ADT.

Methodologic Approach: Men were recruited from prostate cancer clinics. Nine focus groups were conducted from November 2013 to April 2014 until data saturation was reached. Probe questions assessed perceptions regarding SED and preferences for a mobile SED intervention. Data were transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was conducted.

Findings: Twenty-seven men with a mean age of 73.5 years (SD = 8.1 years) volunteered for the study. Most men were aware of the health risks associated with SED, but most discussed SED in terms of increasing physical activity (PA). Many men were interested in a mobile application to reduce SED and expressed that the design should be easy to use, have an alerting function to interrupt sitting, have the ability to track and monitor PA levels, be tailored to the individual, and involve social support.

Conclusions: These findings will inform the development and evaluation of a novel SED intervention to improve health outcomes in this population.

Interpretation: Oncology nurses may serve as a motivational factor in encouraging men on ADT to reduce SED.