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Patterns, perceptions and their association with changes in alcohol consumption in cancer survivors
Author(s) -
Eng Lawson,
Pringle Dan,
Su Jie,
EspinGarcia Osvaldo,
Niu Chongya,
Mahler Mary,
Halytskyy Oleksandr,
Charow Rebecca,
Lam Christine,
Shani Ravi M.,
Villeneuve Jodie,
Tiessen Kyoko,
Dobriyal Aditi,
Zarrin Aein,
Vennettilli Ashlee,
Brown M. Catherine,
Alibhai Shabbir M. H.,
Howell Doris,
Jones Jennifer M.,
Selby Peter,
Xu Wei,
Liu Geoffrey
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ecc.12933
Subject(s) - medicine , alcohol , alcohol consumption , logistic regression , cancer , consumption (sociology) , perception , environmental health , psychiatry , social science , biochemistry , chemistry , neuroscience , sociology , biology
Continued consumption of alcohol after a cancer diagnosis is associated with poorer outcomes. We evaluated whether perceptions of the effects of continued alcohol use and receiving information on moderating alcohol reduced alcohol consumption in adult cancer survivors. A total of 509 cancer survivors were cross‐sectionally surveyed at follow‐up for their alcohol use before and after cancer diagnosis and perceptions of continued drinking. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated factors associated with changes in alcohol consumption after diagnosis. Among 299 patients who were drinking alcohol at diagnosis (13% exceeding gender‐specific guidelines), 52% reduced/ceased alcohol consumption 1 year after diagnosis. Patients perceiving that alcohol worsened their own (a) quality of life, (b) cancer‐related fatigue or (c) overall survival were more likely (aORs = 2.43–3.35, p < 0.002) to reduce (moderating or quitting) their alcohol use 1 year after diagnosis. Only 14% of individuals currently drinking regularly recalled receiving information/counselling from healthcare providers on alcohol consumption (7% from oncologists). However, there was a significant fourfold to sixfold increase in cessation with such information/counselling ( p < 0.01). Similar trends were observed in patients exceeding gender‐specific guidelines. Perception of negative effects of alcohol use on their health by cancer survivors was associated with reducing harmful alcohol consumption. Counselling, especially from the oncologist, may play a significant role for reducing consumption.