title: Quality of life in long-term cervical cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the quality of life (QOL) and long-term psychosocial sequelae of women of childbearing age diagnosed with cervical cancer 5-10 years earlier.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing a cross-sectional descriptive design, 51 cervical cancer survivors and 50 age-matched controls completed a comprehensive QOL interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were predominantly married, non-Hispanic White, with a mean age at diagnosis of 37 years and a mean age at interview of 45 years. This disease-free sample enjoys a good QOL, with physical, social, and emotional functioning comparable to or better than comparative norms. However, certain psychological survivorship sequelae and reproductive concerns persist. Participants reporting good QOL were less likely to report ongoing coping efforts related to having had this illness and were more likely to report greater social support, greater sexual pleasure, and less cervical cancer-specific distress. In a multiple-regression model, cancer-specific distress, spiritual well-being, maladaptive coping, and reproductive concerns accounted for 72% of the variance in QOL scores. Fifty-nine percent of respondents expressed that they would likely participate in a counseling program today to discuss psychosocial issues raised by having had cervical cancer, and 69% stated that they would have attended a support group program during the initial treatment if it had been offered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This information provides insight into the complex survivorship relationships between QOL and sequelae of cervical cancer for women diagnosed during childbearing years. Therefore, it is important for health care professionals to recognize that aspects of cancer survivorship continue to require attention and possible follow-up care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Center for Health Policy Research, University of California-Irvine, 111 Academy Way, Suite 220, Irvine, CA 92697-5800, USA. LWenzel@uci.edu
authors.forename: Lari
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: DeAlba
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Habbal
authors.forename: Brenda Coffey
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kluhsman
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fairclough
authors.forename: Linda U
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anton-Culver
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aziz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012098:Reproduction; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*