Influence of sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors on physical activity in women undergoing oncological treatment for breast cancer: cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the influence of sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors on the practice of physical activity among women undergoing oncological treatment for breast cancer. Method: A quantitative, descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted at a cancer hospital in Minas Gerais with 210 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle habits, and clinical conditions were collected. Physical activity was assessed and its association with 26 variables was tested using bivariate analyses, considering a significance level of 5%. Results: Most participants were between 50 and 69 years old, had low educational attainment, had a partner, and reported religious beliefs and participation in religious institutions. It was observed that 45.24% practiced physical activity regularly. Among the factors analyzed, only smoking showed an association, indicating that women who smoked were about 4.4 times more likely not to engage in physical activity when compared to non-smokers. Conclusion: Physical activity was practiced by less than half of the women evaluated, and smoking emerged as a marker of vulnerability associated with physical inactivity. These results reinforce the need for integrated cancer care strategies that include smoking cessation and healthy lifestyle promotion, contributing to better coping and quality of life for these women.