title: Mood states in long-term cancer survivors: an Italian descriptive survey.
abstract: Since long-term survivorship is now a reality for an increasing number of people with cancer, understanding their mood states (i.e., transient subjective emotional states) can inform health-care policy as well as help support individual patients. This study described the mood states of Italian long-term cancer survivors, compared them with normative data, and tested their association with the main clinical and socio-demographic sample's characteristics.
  
  
  
  One hundred and fifty-eight Italian adults free from cancer and its treatments for at least 5 years were administered the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and two ad hoc 0-10-point visual-analogue scales on personal health-related worry and risk perception for a personal relapse, respectively.
  
  
  
  In comparison with the Italian normative sample, the current sample displayed a higher score in Vigor-Activity (p = 0.003) and a lower score in Confusion-Bewilderment (p = 0.008). In Tension-Anxiety, Confusion-Bewilderment, Depression-Dejection, Anger-Hostility, Fatigue-Inertia, and Vigor-Activity, 14.6, 15.9, 17.1, 17.8, 19.7, and 13.3 % of the sample, respectively, displayed meaningful scores (i.e., scores above or below 1 standard deviation from the normative mean score). The mood state profile POMS-provided was associated with gender (p = 0.002), occupational status (p = 0.003), reported health issues (p < 0.001), and quality of sleep (p < 0.001). In personal health-related worry and risk perception for a personal relapse, the average scores were 4.8 (SD = 3.0) and 4.1 (SD = 2.9), respectively.
  
  
  
  These data encourage a multidimensional assessment of emotional functioning of this specific population.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oncological Psychology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via F. Gallini, 2, 33081, Aviano, PN, Italy. annunziata@cro.it.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Annunziata
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oncological Psychology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via F. Gallini, 2, 33081, Aviano, PN, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muzzatti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oncological Psychology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via F. Gallini, 2, 33081, Aviano, PN, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flaiban
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oncological Psychology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via F. Gallini, 2, 33081, Aviano, PN, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.affiliation: Health Care Directorate, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cancer survivors; Mood states; Oncology; Personal health-related worry; Relapse risk perception