Marci Campbell, PhD¹, Marlyn Allicock-Hudson, MPH², Carol Carr, MA², Kelly Webber, BA¹, Brenda DeVellis, PhD³, Ahinee Amamoo, MPH², and Robert Sandler, MD, MPH⁴. (1) School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 4102 McGavran-Greenberg Hall 238, CB# 7461, Chapel Hill, NC 25799-7400, (2) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 100 West Drive, CB#7295, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, 9199669296, allicock@email.unc.edu, (3) Dept of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina, CB #7400, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, (4) Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina, CB # 7555, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

The NC STRIDES Project was a randomized trial of two interactive health communication strategies for colon cancer prevention and health promotion among older adults: 4 mailed computer-tailored print communications (TPC) in the form of newsletters, and 4 tailored motivational interviewing (TMI) telephone counseling sessions. The population-based sample had previously participated in an epidemiological case-control study of colon cancer risk factors and included healthy colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors (n=304) and a general population group (n=521). Survivors and general population participants were similar in terms of demographics including gender (48% female), ethnicity (36% African-American), age (mean 65 years) insurance status (2% uninsured), and baseline health behaviors. Telephone surveys assessed fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and other health behaviors, health status, communication variables, and psychosocial characteristics. Self-reported F&V was validated by plasma biomarkers. Analyses compared group means at follow-up adjusted for baseline values. At 1-year follow-up (>90% response rate), the combination of TPC+TMI had produced an increase in F&V overall (p=0.05) compared to each separate intervention or a control group. When stratified by cancer survivorship, the effect of TPC+TMI was 1.0 servings in the general population group compared to approximately 0.5 serving for each independent intervention and no change for controls (p<0.01). No significant intervention effects were found for survivors, however (p=0.31). Findings indicate that the combination of two relatively low-intensity interventions can be effective to promote population-based change in fruit and vegetable consumption. Findings highlight the need for further research, however, to better tailor and target health communication interventions for colon cancer survivors.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe two different interactive health communication strategies for dietary change.
• Compare methods and results of interventions utilizing interactive dietary change strategies.
• Recognize potential differences between general population and cancer survivor target groups.

Keywords: Nutrition, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.