Iris Kanera

2 29 Prevalence and correlates of lifestyle behaviors METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey among early cancer survivors with various types of cancer. This study was approved by the Ethics Review Board on Research (cETO) of the Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands. This study was carried out in accordance with the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code and the Declaration of Helsinki (American Psychological Association, 2010; World Medical Association, 2013). No further approval by the Medical Research Ethics Committee (MREC) was necessary, because present study did not fall under the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO). Study population Cancer survivors from Dutch outpatient departments of internal medicine, oncology, and urology were invited to participate. Required sample size of the most extensive multiple regression analysis was N ≥ 160. Inclusion criteria were: adults (> 18 years) diagnosed with and treated for one type of cancer with no sign of recurrence at the last control visit; surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy as primary treatment, which has been completed at least 6 weeks and up to one year ago. Cancer survivors with severe medical, psychiatric of cognitive problems that would interfere with participation were excluded from the study. Study procedure Eighteen hospitals in the South of the Netherlands were approached for recruitment of participants. Medical staff of eight hospitals agreed and recruited cancer survivors in the period from November 2012 until January 2013. Two recruitment strategies were used: 1) selection of cancer survivors through record review by (research) nurses or 2) personal invitations during outpatient clinic visits with oncologist, urologist, or nurse practitioner. Potentially eligible participants received an information letter, an informed consent form, and a survey booklet. A reminder letter followed 2 weeks later. Cancer survivors, who agreed to participate, were asked to provide written informed consent, to complete the questionnaires and to return these documents to the researchers in an enclosed pre-paid envelope. Measurements All measurements concerned self-report questionnaires. Lifestyle outcome measures PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ Short; Craig et al., 2003; Vandelanotte, De Bourdeaudhuij, Philippaerts, Sjöström, & Sallis,