title: Cancer patients with pain: the spouse/partner relationship and quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A diagnosis of cancer affects not only the patient but also his/her spouse/partner. In addition to facing a life-threatening illness, changes in role and financial threats can impact the dyad.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This dyadic study examined the effects of financial concerns and pain on the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients and their partners. The partner relationship and the partners' coping style were explored for mediating the couples' outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants consisted of 177 dyads with both sexes as patients and partners in committed, heterosexual relationships. Patients had a mix of cancer diagnoses and were in various phases of treatment. Each participant completed 4 of the same instruments. Partners also completed coping and financial concerns measures, and patients completed pain and symptom distress measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathway analysis, using structural equation modeling, examined the effects of pain and financial concerns on relationship quality, partners' coping style, and QOL for the dyad. Partners' coping style affected only their own QOL (0.16; P = .05). Pain had a significantly negative direct effect (-0.51; P = .05) on patients' QOL and no direct relationship to the partner's QOL. Financial concerns affected the QOL of both patients (-0.13; P = .05) and partners (-0.36; P = .05). The relationship mediated a decrease in patient pain from -0.51 to -0.58, a significant total effect (P = .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The partners' relationship lessened pain's negative effect. Financial concerns were a significant issue for both dyad members, but the quality of the relationship was not compromised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' pain may be affected by the quality of the marital relationship.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Survivorship Program/Clinic, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA. mary.morgan@moffitt.org
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Brent J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Small
authors.forename: Kristine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Overcash
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D059408:Pain Management; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires