If They'd Said You Should Only Drink Five Units I'd Have Listened: A Mixed Methods Study of Alcohol Consumption Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Abstract

ObjectivesAs part of a wider study describing the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on lifestyle behaviours, this paper describes the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on alcohol consumption and factors influencing consumption.MethodsCross‐sectional online survey of 140 people (138 women) and interviews with 21 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years.ResultsOf the 100 survey participants who drank alcohol 25% were drinking at increasing or higher risk levels and 17% strongly wanted to change their drinking behaviour. The habitual aspects of alcohol consumption were the strongest predictor of current alcohol consumption behaviours. Social norms and perceptions about conflicting information were substantial barriers to change.ConclusionsBreast cancer survivors need accurate information about the risks of alcohol consumption and guidelines in order to make informed decisions about making changes to their behaviour. Interventions to support breast cancer survivors to reduce alcohol consumption need to focus on the development of healthy habits and may benefit from a focus which includes partners and friends.