Gao publishes paper on mental health effects of social media program in breast cancer survivors

Zan Gao, PhD

Zan Gao, PhD, professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory (PAEL), recently published a research article entitled “Effects of a Tai Chi app and social media health promotion program on breast cancer survivors’ stress reduction and quality of life” as the first author in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. This paper investigated the effects of a mobile Tai Chi app and Facebook program on stress and quality of life among breast cancer survivors. The study findings suggested that the implementation of the Tai Chi app combined with the Facebook health tips program had positive effects on breast cancer survivors’ mental health. Also, offering a health education program could be beneficial to breast cancer survivors’ physical health as well.