J Korean Med Sci.  2017 Aug;32(8):1345-1350. 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.8.1345.

The Relationship between Physical Activity Intensity and Mental Health Status in Patients with Breast Cancer

• Kang KD
• Bae S
• Kim HJ
• Hwang IG
• Kim SM
• Han DH

• KMID: 2439470
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2017.32.8.1345

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between physical activity (PA) level and mental health status in a population-based sample of Korean female patients with breast cancer. Our analysis included 76 patients with breast cancer and 44 healthy controls. The Korean versions of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-KY (STAI-KY), and Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), and Quality of Life (QOL) scale were assessed. The frequency of moderate PA level in breast cancer patients was significantly lower than that of healthy control subjects (t = −2.6; P = 0.011). In turn, the incidence of low PA level in breast cancer patients was significantly higher than that observed in healthy controls (t = 2.85; P = 0.005). A moderate PA level was inversely correlated with BDI score (r = −0.35; P = 0.008) and was positively correlated with QOL score (r = 0.38; P = 0.011). A low level of PA was inversely correlated with SSAS score (r = −0.39; P < 0.001). In healthy controls, a high level of PA was positively correlated with QOL score (r = 0.50; P = 0.043). Moderate PA level was inversely correlated with SSAS score (r = −0.59; P < 0.001). A low level of PA was also positively correlated with BDI score (r = 0.35; P = 0.008). A moderate or low intensity of PA was inversely correlated with depression and somatosensory amplification and was positively correlated with QOL in breast cancer patients. Finally, we suggest that progressively low-to-moderate levels of PA can be well adapted to positively impact several measures of mental health.

Keyword

Physical Activity Intensity; Mental Health Status; Breast Cancer

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Depression
Female
Humans
Incidence
Mental Health*
Motor Activity*
Quality of Life

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