Premium
Systemic inflammation among breast cancer survivors: the roles of goal disengagement capacities and health‐related self‐protection
Author(s) -
Castonguay Andree L.,
Wrosch Carsten,
Sabiston Catherine M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.3489
Subject(s) - disengagement theory , cancer , inflammation , breast cancer , medicine , psychology , gerontology , immunology
Background This study examined the associations between breast cancer survivors' capacity to adjust to unattainable goals (through goal disengagement and goal reengagement), health‐related self‐protection (e.g., positive reappraisals), and low‐grade systemic inflammation (i.e., C‐reactive protein [CRP]). Methods Self‐reports of goal adjustment capacities and health‐related self‐protection were measured and concentrations of the inflammatory molecule CRP were quantified in a cross‐sectional sample of 121 female breast cancer survivors ( M age 55.53, SD = 10.99 years). Results Results from hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that low levels of goal disengagement capacities predicted higher CRP. Moreover, health‐related self‐protection buffered the association between failure to disengage from unattainable goals and elevated CRP. These results were independent from potential confounders including age, education, smoking, BMI, cancer stage, and time since diagnosis. Conclusions The study's findings suggest that goal disengagement capacities and health‐related self‐protection can work together in predicting systemic inflammation among breast cancer survivors. Failure to disengage from unattainable goals may trigger health‐compromising inflammatory processes, unless breast cancer survivors are able to engage in self‐protection to manage their health threats. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.