Purpose Cancer survivors face a high risk of developing secondary cancers; thus, they should consider their primary cancer experiences as signals to adopt secondary cancer-preventive behaviors. This study examined the mediating effect of perceived threat in the relationship between cue to action and such behaviors and identified the gender effect as a moderator in breast and colorectal cancer survivors.
Methods: A total of 505 cancer survivors (253 with breast cancer and 252 with colorectal cancer) participated in this study. These participants were involved in cancer-related physical activities at the outpatient oncology clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital in Korea. Participants completed structured, self-administered questionnaires, and a PROCESS macro was utilized to analyze the mediating effect of perceived threat.
Results: Cue to action positively affected perceived threat (B=0.38, p <.001). Additionally, both cue to action (B=0.20, p=.047) and perceived threat (B=1.28, p<.001) positively influenced secondary cancer-preventive behaviors. In the relationship between cue to action and these behaviors, perceived threat explained 30.0% of the variance. Gender was supported as a moderator in the relationship between cue to action and perceived threat. A bootstrap analysis confirmed the mediating effect of perceived threat.
Conclusion: Perceived threat can help cancer survivors understand the risk and seriousness of secondary cancer, thereby strengthening the relationship between cue to action and secondary cancer-preventive behaviors. Healthcare providers should provide accurate information as a cue to cancer survivors, enabling them to recognize the risk of secondary cancer.
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