Janni Leung1,2, Michelle D Smith3, Deirdre McLaughlin4. 1. School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Australia. j.leung1@uq.edu.au. 2. Policy and Epidemiology Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Australia. j.leung1@uq.edu.au. 3. School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia. 4. School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term quality of life outcomes by marital status among women living with breast cancer, and to test the mediation effects of social support as an underlying factor. METHODS: Data are drawn from 1996 to 2010 of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The sample included 505 women with breast cancer with six years of follow-up data. Social support was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors who did not have a partner, compared to those who had a partner, had significantly lower levels of social support, which was associated with poorer HRQOL. Social support mediated the relationship between not having a partner and poorer HRQOL. Results were consistent after taken into consideration socio-demographic characteristics, which included age, highest level of education, country of birth, and area of residence. CONCLUSIONS: Women recovering from breast cancer who do not have partners have poorer physical and mental HRQOL, than those with partners, with a lack of social support as an underlying inequality. Partners of breast cancer survivors are importance sources in the provision of social support to help them maintain well-being and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term quality of life outcomes by marital status among women living with breast cancer, and to test the mediation effects of social support as an underlying factor. METHODS: Data are drawn from 1996 to 2010 of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The sample included 505 women with breast cancer with six years of follow-up data. Social support was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS:Breast cancer survivors who did not have a partner, compared to those who had a partner, had significantly lower levels of social support, which was associated with poorer HRQOL. Social support mediated the relationship between not having a partner and poorer HRQOL. Results were consistent after taken into consideration socio-demographic characteristics, which included age, highest level of education, country of birth, and area of residence. CONCLUSIONS:Women recovering from breast cancer who do not have partners have poorer physical and mental HRQOL, than those with partners, with a lack of social support as an underlying inequality. Partners of breast cancer survivors are importance sources in the provision of social support to help them maintain well-being and quality of life.
Authors: Oluwole Adeyemi Babatunde; Whitney E Zahnd; Jan M Eberth; Andrew B Lawson; Swann Arp Adams; Eric Adjei Boakye; Melanie S Jefferson; Caitlin G Allen; John L Pearce; Hong Li; Chanita Hughes Halbert Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-11 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Daniela Doege; Melissa S Y Thong; Lena Koch-Gallenkamp; Lina Jansen; Heike Bertram; Andrea Eberle; Bernd Holleczek; Ron Pritzkuleit; Annika Waldmann; Sylke R Zeissig; Hermann Brenner; Volker Arndt Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2020-10-06 Impact factor: 4.452