Tele-Motivational Interviewing for Cancer Survivors: Feasibility, Preliminary Efficacy, and Lessons Learned

Abstract

Objective: Determine the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of tele-Motivational Interviewing (MI) for overweight cancer survivors.

Design: Six-month nonrandomized phase 2 clinical trial.

Setting: Urban garden and remote platforms.

Participants: Overweight and obese cancer survivors post active treatment.

Intervention: Remote tele-MI from a trained registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).

Main outcome measures: Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy.

Analysis: Groups were stratified as users and nonusers based on tele-MI use. Qualitative survey data and remote MI interaction logs were analyzed for trends. Two-sample t tests were performed to assess pre-post intervention changes in physical activity and dietary behaviors, quality of life, self-efficacy, and clinical biomarkers.

Results: A total of 29 participants completed the intervention. There were 17 tele-MI users (59%) and 12 nonusers (41%). Users were primarily female (88%), breast cancer survivors (59%), college educated (82%), with a mean age of 58 years. Users set 50% more goals, lost more weight (4.8 vs 2.6 kg), significantly improved quality of life (P = .03), and trended more positively in clinical biomarkers (eg, cholesterol, blood pressure) than did nonusers.

Conclusions and implications: Findings from this study indicate that tele-MI is a feasible and acceptable intervention for overweight cancer survivors after active therapy. Larger randomized trials are needed to establish efficacy and generalizability to a variety of demographic populations.

Keywords: cancer survivor; lifestyle; motivational interviewing; technology; telehealth.