Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Complementary Therapies/statistics & numerical data , Medical Oncology/statistics & numerical data , Neoplasms/therapy , Oncology Nursing/statistics & numerical data , Social Work/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Age Distribution , Female , Health Care Surveys , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Motivation , Professional-Patient Relations , Sex Distribution , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The present study examined the association between quality of life (QOL) in adult cancer survivors and the (a) absolute current amount of exercise and (b) change in exercise since cancer diagnosis. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-two (mean age = 59.6) adult cancer survivors recruited from outpatient clinics in four states (Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Georgia) and a minority support groups completed a survey including demographic, medical, exercise behavior, and QOL questions. RESULTS: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for important demographic and medical variables showed that adult cancer survivors who currently exercised three times per week had significantly higher QOL than those who did not (beta = 0.13, P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to adult cancer survivors who exercised less since their cancer diagnosis, those who maintained (beta = 0.28, P < 0.08) or increased (beta = 0.24, P < 0.01) the amount of exercise they performed since their cancer diagnosis had significantly higher QOL. Finally, examination of the DeltaR(2)(adjusted) between the two exercise models showed that the absolute current amount of exercise explained an additional 1% (DeltaR(2)(adjusted) = 0.01 P < 0.05) of the variance in QOL whereas the change in exercise explained an additional 7% (DeltaR(2)(adjusted) = 0.07, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Change in exercise since cancer diagnosis may be a more important correlate of QOL in adult cancer survivors than the absolute current amount of exercise.
Subject(s)
Exercise Therapy/methods , Exercise/psychology , Neoplasms/psychology , Quality of Life , Survivors/psychology , Adult , Black or African American/psychology , Analysis of Variance , Female , Georgia , Health Behavior , Health Status , Humans , Iowa , Life Style , Male , Middle Aged , Minnesota , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/therapy , Regression Analysis , Selection Bias , Self-Help Groups , Surveys and Questionnaires , White People/psychology , WisconsinABSTRACT
The Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) is a well-known instrument for the assessment of symptom-related distress among cancer patients. Despite its broad application, the utility of the RSCL with patients of some cancers is hindered by the omission of several important physical symptoms and methodological limitations of previous validation studies. The aims of the present study were to modify the RSCL through the addition of several physical symptoms and to subsequently validate the modified version of the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL-M) with a heterogeneous sample of cancer patients from the United States. A total of 1,005 male and female cancer patients from two midwestern states completed the RSCL-M and several other self-report instruments. Results indicated that the RSCL-M is a reliable and valid instrument for use with cancer patients in the United States and is sensitive to differences in physical distress across groups expected to have distinct symptom-related distress profiles.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms/complications , Pain, Intractable/diagnosis , Pain, Intractable/drug therapy , Activities of Daily Living , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Health Status , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain, Intractable/psychology , Social Support , Surveys and Questionnaires , United StatesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in lifestyle behaviors after a cancer diagnosis and medical and demographic influences on such changes. METHODS: Adult cancer survivors (n = 352) completed a survey including demographic, medical, and lifestyle behavior change questions. RESULTS: Results showed that since cancer diagnosis, 46% of smokers quit smoking, 47% improved their dietary habits, and 30.1% exercised less. Adult cancer survivors who changed their lifestyle behaviors varied, depending on various demographic and medical variables and physician recommendation. CONCLUSION: It appears from our data that cancer diagnosis in adults may have a positive influence on smoking and diet and a negative influence on exercise.
Subject(s)
Health Behavior , Life Style , Neoplasms/psychology , Adult , Demography , Diet , Disease-Free Survival , Exercise , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Two measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale for Cancer (SLDS-C), were compared to examine the relationship between health status and life satisfaction among breast cancer survivors (BCSs). A total of 586 BCSs, all of whom were volunteers in peer support programs, met inclusion criteria and completed the self-report measures. Significant correlation coefficients were shown between life satisfaction and measures of health status. SF-36 scores were significantly higher for physical functioning, emotional well-being, and vitality subscales compared to population norms. BCSs expressed greatest dissatisfaction with their sexual ability, physical strength, and bodies in general. Small age differences were found. Results suggest that incorporating multiple measures of HRQOL contribute to the understanding and measurement of the effects of cancer on perceived health status and life satisfaction.
