Objectives. As part of a wider study describing the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on lifestyle behaviours, this paper describes the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on alcohol consumption and factors influencing consumption. Methods. Cross-sectional online survey of 140 people (138 women) and interviews with 21 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years. Results. Of the 100 survey participants who drank alcohol 25% were drinking at increasing or higher risk levels and 17% strongly wanted to change their drinking behaviour. The habitual aspects of alcohol consumption were the strongest predictor of current alcohol consumption behaviours. Social norms and perceptions about conflicting information were substantial barriers to change. Conclusions. Breast cancer survivors need accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption and guidelines in order to make informed decisions about making changes to their behaviour. Interventions to support breast cancer survivors to reduce alcohol consumption need to focus on the development of healthy habits and may benefit from a focus which includes partners and friends.
Davies, Emma L. McGeagh, Lucy Matheson, Lauren Bennett, Julie Matthews, Sara Brett, Jo Watson, Eila
Department of Psychology, Health and Professional DevelopmentDepartment of Nursing
Year of publication: 2024Date of RADAR deposit: 2024-08-08