Helping cancer survivors keep up regular physical activity
Making Healthy Habits Stick: Extended Contact Interventions to Promote Long-Term Physical Activity in Cancer Survivors
This project compares text-message reminders and peer coaching to help cancer survivors maintain regular physical activity after a 3-month starter program.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11396214 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would begin with a 3-month, theory-based program to adopt regular physical activity. After that, 260 cancer survivors are randomly assigned in a 2 x 2 design to receive text-message support, peer coaching, both, or neither as extended contact. Your physical activity will be tracked with devices like accelerometers and through questionnaires over the follow-up period. The team will compare which combination best helps people keep activity levels up over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adult cancer survivors who have finished primary treatment and are currently not meeting physical activity guidelines.
Not a fit: People who are still undergoing active cancer treatment, who already meet activity guidelines, or who have medical limitations preventing exercise may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make it easier for cancer survivors to keep exercising long-term, improving fitness, quality of life, and lowering risks like obesity and other health problems.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies and preliminary data have produced modest short-term gains with similar supports, but long-term maintenance remains uncertain and this trial builds on that work.
Where this research is happening
Memphis, United States
- University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr — Memphis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin, Michelle — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Martin, Michelle
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.