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Psychosocial factors associated with impact of cancer in longterm haematological cancer survivors
Author(s) -
Korszun Ania,
Sarker ShahJalal,
Chowdhury Kashfia,
Clark Charlotte,
Greaves Paul,
Johnson Rachel,
Kingston Judith,
Levitt Gill,
Matthews Janet,
White Peter,
Lister Andrew,
Gribben John
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/bjh.12698
Subject(s) - psychosocial , medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , psychological intervention , cancer , distress , comorbidity , social support , clinical psychology , psychiatry , psychology , nursing , psychotherapist
Summary To assess the impact of cancer ( IOC ) on subsequent quality of life ( QOL ), 718 long‐term haematological cancer survivors completed validated psychosocial, functional and QOL scales, including IOC . Fifteen percent reported significant psychological distress, 18% high levels of fatigue and 10% moderate to severe functional impairment. These groups of participants also showed poorer QOL . There were no significant differences in psychological distress ( P = 0·76), fatigue ( P = 0·23) or functional impairment ( P = 0·74) across different cancer subtypes. Two separate hierarchical regression analyses examined the combined association of disease‐type, psychosocial and other factors on negative and positive IOC scores respectively. Higher negative IOC scores were significantly associated ( P ≤ 0·001) with medical comorbidity, psychological distress, lower social support, high fatigue levels and functional impairment. Paediatric patients (diagnosed at <17 years) had significantly higher negative IOC scores than adult patients ( P = 0·001); greater years since diagnosis was significantly ( P < 0·001) associated with less negative IOC . Higher positive IOC was associated with acute leukaemia ( P = 0·01); lower positive IOC with paediatric patients ( P < 0·001), white ethnicity ( P < 0·001), higher education ( P = 0·003), no partner ( P = 0·01) and lower social support ( P = 0·01). Screening for medical comorbidity, psychological distress and fatigue identifies those needing most support and should allow earlier interventions to address negative and positive IOC to improve the well‐being of cancer survivors.