TY - JOUR
T1 - Detailed methods of two home-based vegetable gardening intervention trials to improve diet, physical activity, and quality of life in two different populations of cancer survivors
AU - Cases, Mallory G.
AU - Frugé, Andrew D.
AU - De Los Santos, Jennifer F.
AU - Locher, Julie L.
AU - Cantor, Alan B.
AU - Smith, Kerry P.
AU - Glover, Tony A.
AU - Cohen, Harvey J.
AU - Daniel, Michael
AU - Morrow, Casey D.
AU - Moellering, Douglas R.
AU - Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - Background Cancer survivors suffer from long-term adverse effects that reduce health-related quality of life (QOL) and physical functioning, creating an urgent need to develop effective, durable, and disseminable interventions. Harvest for Health, a home-based vegetable gardening intervention, holds promise for these domains. Methods This report describes the methods and recruitment experiences from two randomized controlled feasibility trials that employ a waitlist-controlled design. Delivered in partnership with Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, this intervention provides one-on-one mentorship of cancer survivors in planning and maintaining three seasonal vegetable gardens over 12 months. The primary aim is to determine intervention feasibility and acceptability; secondary aims are to explore effects on objective and subjective measures of diet, physical activity and function, and QOL and examine participant factors associated with potential effects. One trial is conducted exclusively among 82 female breast cancer survivors residing in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area (BBCS); another broadly throughout Alabama among 46 older cancer survivors aged > 60 (ASCS). Results Response rates were 32.6% (BBCS) and 52.3% (ASCS). Both trials exceeded 80% of their accrual target. Leading reasons for ineligibility were removal of > 10 lymph nodes (lymphedema risk factor), lack of physician approval, and unwillingness to be randomized to the waitlist. Conclusion To date, recruitment and implementation of Harvest for Health appears feasible. Discussion Although both studies encountered recruitment challenges, lessons learned can inform future larger-scale studies. Vegetable gardening interventions are of interest to cancer survivors and may provide opportunities to gain life skills leading to improvements in overall health and QOL.
AB - Background Cancer survivors suffer from long-term adverse effects that reduce health-related quality of life (QOL) and physical functioning, creating an urgent need to develop effective, durable, and disseminable interventions. Harvest for Health, a home-based vegetable gardening intervention, holds promise for these domains. Methods This report describes the methods and recruitment experiences from two randomized controlled feasibility trials that employ a waitlist-controlled design. Delivered in partnership with Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, this intervention provides one-on-one mentorship of cancer survivors in planning and maintaining three seasonal vegetable gardens over 12 months. The primary aim is to determine intervention feasibility and acceptability; secondary aims are to explore effects on objective and subjective measures of diet, physical activity and function, and QOL and examine participant factors associated with potential effects. One trial is conducted exclusively among 82 female breast cancer survivors residing in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area (BBCS); another broadly throughout Alabama among 46 older cancer survivors aged > 60 (ASCS). Results Response rates were 32.6% (BBCS) and 52.3% (ASCS). Both trials exceeded 80% of their accrual target. Leading reasons for ineligibility were removal of > 10 lymph nodes (lymphedema risk factor), lack of physician approval, and unwillingness to be randomized to the waitlist. Conclusion To date, recruitment and implementation of Harvest for Health appears feasible. Discussion Although both studies encountered recruitment challenges, lessons learned can inform future larger-scale studies. Vegetable gardening interventions are of interest to cancer survivors and may provide opportunities to gain life skills leading to improvements in overall health and QOL.
KW - Cancer survivors
KW - Diet
KW - Gardening
KW - Neoplasms
KW - Physical function
KW - Quality of life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84984815390&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cct.2016.08.014
DO - 10.1016/j.cct.2016.08.014
M3 - Article
C2 - 27565830
AN - SCOPUS:84984815390
SN - 1551-7144
VL - 50
SP - 201
EP - 212
JO - Contemporary Clinical Trials
JF - Contemporary Clinical Trials
ER -