Health Behaviors of Minority Childhood Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUNDAvailable data have suggested that childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are comparable to the general population with regard to many lifestyle parameters. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding minority CCSs. This cross-sectional study describes and compares the body mass index and health behaviors of African American, Hispanic, and white survivors with each other and with noncancer controls. METHODSParticipants included 452 adult CCSs (150 African American, 152 Hispanic, and 150 white individuals) recruited through 4 childhood cancer treating institutions and 375 ethnically matched noncancer controls (125 in each racial/ethnic group) recruited via targeted digit dial. All participants completed a 2-hour in-person interview. RESULTSSurvivors and noncancer controls reported similar health behaviors. Within survivors, smoking and physical activity were found to be similar across racial/ethnic groups. African American and Hispanic survivors reported lower daily alcohol use compared with white individuals, but consumed unhealthy diets and were more likely to be obese. CONCLUSIONSThis unique study highlights that many minority CCSs exhibit lifestyle profiles that contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases and late effects. Recommendations for behavior changes must consider the social and cultural context in which minority survivors may live. Cancer 2015;121:1671-1680. (c) 2015 American Cancer Society. The current study examined the Health behaviors of minority childhood cancer survivors compared with white peers and noncancer controls. Overall, survivors were not different from controls, but minority survivors may be at a higher risk of adverse outcomes.