Physical activity and health-related quality of life among men with prostate cancer living in remote areas of Quebec A cross-sectional, observational study.

Introduction: The majority (97.5%) of men with prostate cancer (PCa) live for at least five years after diagnosis. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of such men is affected by the adverse effects of treatment. Men living in remote areas of Canada have difficulty accessing specialized medical resources and psychological support. This constitutes an additional burden that weighs heavily on their HRQoL. Regular physical activity (PA) has a direct benefit, or an effect mediated by emotional distress, on the HRQoL of such individuals. In Canada, and elsewhere in the world, there is a poor uptake of PA-related recommendations.

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study among 85 participants between May 2023 and September 2023. We then explored, through mediation analyses, the association between PA and HRQoL, taking into account the potential mediating effect of emotional distress.

Results: Most participants (61.2%) engaged in a high level of PA; however, their physical and mental HRQoL scores were low (mean scores of 41.99±6.09 and 52.40±4.86, respectively). Participants self-reported low levels of stress (mean score of 3.18±2.62). Very few participants (5.9%) displayed symptoms consistent with depression. In contrast, the majority of participants (92.9%) displayed symptoms of anxiety. No significant statistical association was observed between the level of PA and HRQoL.

Conclusions: This lack of association may be explained by the short-term, seasonal nature of certain types of PA, which prevents such PA from having a positive effect on the HRQoL.