Significance & Problem:  Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in Taiwanese women. However, there is no information regarding motivating factors of exercise behavior changing over time.

Purpose:  To examine the trends in motivating factors of exercise behavior over 6 months among Taiwanese Breast Cancer Survivors.  

Methods: A prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures design (T1: completed treatment; T2:3 months; T3: 6 months later) was used and standardized instruments was applied.

Data Analysis: Descriptive analyses, Friedman test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Linear Mixed Model (LMM) analyses and the pairwise comparison tests.

Findings:  The attrition rate was 2% over 6 months. 196 women with a stage I (26.4%) or stage II (52.3%) breast cancer diagnosis ranged in age from 23 to 74 years with mean age 47.6 °" 9.9 years.  The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test of the fatigue scores on the three time points revealed that there were two significant differences in T1 vs. T3 (p<.001), and T2 vs. T3 (p= .011).  The pairwise comparison tests on the three time points revealed that all three intervals were significant for physical health and there were two significant differences: T1 vs. T2 (p=.002) and T1 vs. T3 (p< .001) for mental health.  There was a significant difference between T1 and T3 (p=.009) for social support for exercise.  However, the overall change in exercise barrier' and exercise self-efficacy's scores were not significant over the 6-month period.  The pairwise comparison tests on the three time points revealed that there was a significant difference of exercise outcome expectancy between T1 and T3 (p=.016).

Implication for Nursing Practice:  Breast cancer survivors reported less fatigue, better health status, stronger social support and more exercised but expected less positives outcomes from exercise 6 months after they completed adjuvant treatment. 

Funded by Department of Defense, DAMD17-03-1-0521