title: A qualitative exploration of health perceptions and behaviors among adult survivors of childhood cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adult survivors of childhood cancer are a growing population. The objective of this study was to draw upon qualitative methods to learn more about survivors' perceived health risks and health behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three focus groups and nine individual interviews were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' responses varied in meaning of survivor status, relatedness to other survivors, and health risk comparisons to non-survivors. Survivors expressed uncertainty about control over their health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identity, health perceptions, and behaviors of adult survivors of childhood cancer are complex. Health promotion programs for survivors should be tailored to individual health risk status and should include a physician-delivered component.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, USA. epark@partners.org
authors.forename: Elyse B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Emmons
authors.forename: Neil W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Malloy
authors.forename: Eugenie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seifer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States