Racial differences in quality of life following prostate cancer diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of race on QOL while adjusting for subjective stress and religiosity among African American and white prostate cancer patients. Although racial differences in quality of life (QOL) have been examined between African American and white prostate cancer patients, it is not known whether differences exist while adjusting for psychological and cultural factors. We predicted that African American men would report poorer emotional and physical functioning after adjusting for these factors and that greater subjective stress and lower levels of religiosity would be associated with poorer well-being.


METHODS
We conducted an observational study of QOL among 194 African American and white men who were recruited from February 2003 through March 2008.


RESULTS
Race had a significant effect on emotional functioning after adjusting for perceptions of stress and religiosity. Compared with white men, African American men (P = .03) reported significantly greater emotional well-being. Greater subjective stress was associated significantly with poorer emotional functioning (P = .0001) and physical well-being (P = .0001). There were no racial differences in physical functioning (P = .76).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study highlight the importance of developing a better understanding of the context within which racial differences in QOL occur and translating this information into support programs for prostate cancer survivors.
Halbert
Chanita H
CH
Center for Community-Based Research and Health Disparities, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Coyne
James
J
Weathers
Benita
B
Mahler
Brandon
B
Delmoor
Ernestine
E
Vaughn
David
D
Malkowicz
S Bruce
SB
Lee
David
D
Troxel
Andrea
A
D001741:Black or African American; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D044465:White People