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The treasure of now and an uncertain future: Delay discounting and health behaviors among cancer survivors
Author(s) -
Sheffer Christine E.,
Miller Austin,
Bickel Warren K.,
Devonish Julia A.,
O’Connor Richard J.,
Wang Chong,
Rivard Cheryl,
GageBouchard Elizabeth A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.31759
Subject(s) - medicine , psychological intervention , cancer , gerontology , demography , psychiatry , sociology
Background The identification of new therapeutic targets to improve health behaviors among cancer survivors (CS) is likely to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Delay discounting (DD) rate is the degree to which one devalues rewards as a function of time to receipt. Lower DD rates (ie, prioritizing long‐term over immediate rewards) are associated with healthier behaviors. CS often experience distress and thoughts of early mortality that can potentially shift priorities to the present and negatively impact DD rates, especially when newly diagnosed. Understanding relations between DD and health behaviors among CS will contribute to the examination of DD as a therapeutic target for improving health behaviors for CS. Method CS (n = 1001) were recruited from a web panel and administered a web‐based questionnaire. Multivariate models examined relations among DD rate, years since diagnosis, and 10 health behavior indicators. We hypothesized that 1) higher DD rates would be associated with fewer years since diagnosis, and 2) lower DD rates would be associated with healthier behaviors, moderated by years since diagnosis. Results In general, higher DD rates were associated with fewer years since diagnosis. Higher DD rates were associated with more alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, other tobacco use, tanning booth use, and conversely, greater adherence to annual primary care visits. A significant interaction between DD rate and years since diagnosis was not found. Conclusion Lower DD rates are associated with several important healthy lifestyle behaviors. DD rate is a promising therapeutic target for new interventions to improve multiple health behaviors among CS.