Health and personal resources in older patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to gather preliminary data on both direct and moderating effects of health status, the social environment, and perceived personal control on the symptom distress and quality of life (QOL) for older patients with cancer during a treatment regimen of chemotherapy.


METHODS
Participants were patients with cancer aged≥65years being treated with a variety of chemotherapy regimens specific to their particular diagnosis. Using a longitudinal study design, we measured patients at baseline prior to beginning chemotherapy, midpoint in the regimen, and upon discharge (approximately 2weeks after chemotherapy completion). Outcomes of interest were symptom distress and QOL. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine the association between the predictors and outcomes, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics.


RESULTS
Our final sample consisted of 94 patients with cancer (35 males; 59 females; mean age 73.5years). In the health status domain, lower body strength was inversely associated with symptom distress (p=0.025) and positively associated with QOL (p=0.015). In the social environment domain, social support was inversely associated with fatigue (p=0.001) and depression (p<0.001), and positively associated with QOL (p=0.016 and p=0.029 at midpoint and endpoint, respectively). Personal control variables, mastery and self-efficacy, were significantly associated with multiple outcomes of interest.


CONCLUSIONS
Mastery was the best predictor of symptom distress and QOL. Self-efficacy, social support, and lower body functioning are important predictors of these outcomes among older patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA. Electronic address: clairerobb@georgiasouthern.edu.
Claire
C
Robb
Aaron
A
Lee
Paul
P
Jacobsen
Kevin K
KK
Dobbin
Martine
M
Extermann
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents