Health-related worries, self-image, and life outlooks of long-term survivors of childhood cancer.
This article poses three questions: what do childhood cancer survivors worry about? What characteristics prompt some to worry more and others less? What effect do worries have on survivors' self-image and life outlooks? Data from 303 survivors of childhood cancer demonstrated significant relationships among worries, "objective" factors like physical after-effects or relapse, and survivors' self-images and life outlooks. However, findings also indicated that subjectively experienced worries, perceptions about one's cancer status, age at diagnosis and gender were more strongly associated with self-image and life outlook. Psychosocial interventions andfuture research are suggested.
Zebrack
B J
BJ
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90024, USA. bzebrack@mednet.ucla.edu
Chesler
M
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010372:Pediatrics; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*