title: Trajectories of mental and physical functioning among spouse caregivers of cancer survivors over the first five years following the diagnosis.
abstract: Identify the trajectories of physical and mental functioning among spouse caregivers of patients with cancer over the first five years post-diagnosis and variables associated with low or deteriorating functioning.
  
  
  
  Caregivers completed a survey at 6 months and 1, 2, 3.5, and 5 years post-patient diagnosis, including the SF-12 for quality of life (QOL). SF-12 Mental Component Summary (MCS, n=299) and Physical Component Summary (PCS, n=300) scores were analyzed using SAS.
  
  
  
  Five trajectories for PCS were identified, the top three were: (a) high PCS (53.0%); (b) steady decline in PCS (17.0%); and (c) steady increase, but remaining below population norm (16.7%). Five trajectories for MCS were also identified, the top two being: (a) high MCS (45.8%) and (b) MCS comparable to population norm (27.8%). Variables associated with low or deteriorating QOL included depression, social support, coping, burden, and/or unmet needs.
  
  
  
  This is the first study to document spouse caregivers' QOL over the first five years post-patient diagnosis. Although many participants experienced high functioning, almost a third reported low or deteriorating mental or physical functioning.
  
  
  
  Variables associated with low or deteriorating mental and physical functioning can be targeted in future interventions.
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; St. Mary's Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation (CONCERT), Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: sylvie.lambert@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation (CONCERT), Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Afaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Girgis
authors.affiliation: Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School, The University of New South Wales, Liverpool, Australia.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Descallar
authors.affiliation: Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation (CONCERT), Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Janelle V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Levesque
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, USA.
authors.forename: Bobby
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cancer; Mental functioning; Physical health; Psychosocial oncology; Quality of life; Spouses