Exploring Dietary Supplement Utilization Patterns Among African American Survivors of Prostate and Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background/Objectives: Cancer survivors are a growing population in the United States, with projections of 22.5 million by 2030. Cancers of the prostate (PC) and breast (BC) are among the most prevalent. Despite a high burden of disease, African American survivors are underrepresented in health behavior research. Leveraging two large databases, this study uniquely characterizes dietary supplement (DS) use among African American cancer survivors to explore potential intervention points. Methods: Characteristics from 376 African American cancer survivors (130 PC; 246 BC) in lifestyle intervention trials were examined. DS use was self-reported and categorized by type. A logistic regression model examined associations between use and survivor characteristics. Results: Overall, 215 (63.80%) survivors with baseline medication log data (N = 337) reported using at least one DS, with a higher prevalence among BC survivors (67.44%) than PC survivors (57.38%). Vitamin D ± calcium combinations, multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin C were the most frequently reported. Total comorbidities (mean = 2.38, SD = 1.66) significantly predicted increased DS use among BC and PC survivors. Educational attainment (≤12th grade vs. graduate/professional education) and diet quality (high vs. low) were significantly associated with lower odds of DS use for PC survivors. Only diet quality (moderate vs. low) was significantly associated with higher odds of DS use in BC survivors. Conclusions: DS use is common among African American PC and BC survivors participating in lifestyle interventions. These findings underscore the need for evidence-based guidelines regarding DS use among cancer survivors and the need to include diverse populations.