Background: The COVID-19 pandemic potentially impaired healthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g., physical activity (PA) and eating habits), especially among vulnerable populations, such as pediatric cancer survivors (PCS) and racial/ethnic minorities. Research suggests that English and Spanish speakers differ in adjusting their diets, coping with stress, and experiencing changes in body weight during the pandemic, which can be heightened among families of PCS. Understanding these changes allows for addressing the pandemic’s broader impact on public health, and this project aims to explore the lifestyle behavioral changes among English and Spanish-speaking PCS and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: English- and Spanish-speaking PCS (5-14 years) and their families were examined using the baseline data of a lifestyle behavioral randomized control trial. Data were collected using a 20-item questionnaire addressing lifestyle behavioral changes due to COVID-19 (e.g., noticeable changes in weight, PA, emotional well-being, eating habits). Independent samples t-test and chi-square analyses examined differences and trends among English and Spanish-speaking families.
Results: A sample of n=169 PCS, a little over half male (n=89;53%), average (SD) age of 12 (3) years, and families were included. Most were English-speaking (n=129; 76%) mothers (n=155; 92%), average age (SD) of 42 (7) years. Race was approximately similar between white (n=77; 46%) and Hispanic/Latino (n=55; 33%). There was a significant difference in distress experienced due to COVID-19 between languages, with Spanish-speaking families reporting more distress (M=69, SD=23) than English-speakers (M=55, SD=25; t(167)= -3.106, p=.003, two-tailed). Between language and lifestyle behaviors, more Spanish speakers reported eating more (p=.048), and increased snacking (p=.052), whereas there was no significant difference between PA and emotional well-being changes.
Conclusion: This study highlights significant distress and eating behavior differences between English and Spanish-speaking families during COVID-19. These findings underscore the importance of considering cultural and linguistic factors in behavioral medicine, particularly in developing interventions that address diverse experiences and perspectives. Future research is needed to bridge these perspectives through tailored lifestyle behavioral strategies.