title: Illness perceptions within 6 months of cancer diagnosis are an independent prospective predictor of health-related quality of life 15 months post-diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have found that illness perceptions explain significant variance in health outcomes in numerous diseases. However, most of the research is cross-sectional and non-oncological. We examined, for the first time in breast, colorectal and prostate cancer patients, if cognitive and emotional illness perceptions near diagnosis predict future multidimensional health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  UK-based patients (N = 334) completed the illness perception questionnaire-revised within 6 months post-diagnosis and the quality of life in adult cancer survivors scale 15 months post-diagnosis. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from medical records. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sociodemographic and clinical factors collectively significantly predicted 8/12 HRQoL domains, although for 5/8 accounted for <10% of the variance. For all 12 HRQoL domains, illness perceptions collectively explained significant substantial additional variance (∆R(2) range: 5.6-27.9%), and a single illness perception questionnaire-revised dimension was the best individual predictor of 9/12 HRQoL domains. The consequences dimension independently predicted 7/12 HRQoL domains; patients who believed their cancer would have a more serious negative impact on their life reported poorer future HRQoL. The emotional representations and identity dimensions also predicted multiple HRQoL domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should focus on realising the potential of illness perceptions as a modifiable target for and mediating mechanism of interventions to improve patients' HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velikova
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult