Nancy A Borstelmann1, Tamryn F Gray2,3, Shari Gelber2, Shoshana Rosenberg2,3, Yue Zheng2, Meghan Meyer2, Kathryn J Ruddy4, Lidia Schapira5, Steven Come3,6, Virginia Borges7, Tamara Cadet8, Peter Maramaldi8,9, Ann H Partridge2,3. 1. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. Nancy_Borstelmann@dfci.harvard.edu. 2. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. 3. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. 5. Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, USA. 6. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. 7. University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA. 8. Simmons College School of Social Work, Boston, MA, USA. 9. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Data are lacking about the association between quality of life (QOL) and psychosocial issues of partners of young women with breast cancer who co-parent dependent children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of partners of women with breast cancer diagnosed at age ≤ 40. Among those partners reporting at least one dependent child under 18 years old at the time of diagnosis, we used multiple linear regression to examine associations between partner QOL and sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, and the patient's cancer stage and time since diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 219 parenting partners, all identified as male with a median age of 44 years; 96% (204/213) reported working full-time at the time of the survey. Fifty-four percent endorsed behaviors indicating maladaptive coping. In adjusted analyses, less than full-time employment (β = - 8.76; 95% CI = - 17.37, - 0.14), younger age (β = - 0.35; 95% CI = - 0.069, - 0.02), greater parenting concerns (β = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.36, 0.75), clinically relevant anxiety symptoms (β = 13.79; 95% CI = 10.24, 17.35), lower post-traumatic growth score (β = - 0.33; 95% CI = - 0.51, - 0.16), lower social support (β = - 0.21; 95% CI = - 0.29, - 0.12), lower sexual satisfaction (β = - 0.40; 95% CI = - 0.62, - 0.19), and breast cancer stages 3 (β = 7.61; 95% CI = 0.19, 15.02) and 4 (β = 12.63; 95% CI = 1.91, 23.34), when compared to stage 0, were associated with lower partner QOL. CONCLUSION: Parenting partners of young women with breast cancer have substantial unmet psychosocial needs. Interventions are needed to enhance QOL and promote adaptive coping for this population.
PURPOSE: Data are lacking about the association between quality of life (QOL) and psychosocial issues of partners of young women with breast cancer who co-parent dependent children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of partners of women with breast cancer diagnosed at age ≤ 40. Among those partners reporting at least one dependent child under 18 years old at the time of diagnosis, we used multiple linear regression to examine associations between partner QOL and sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, and the patient's cancer stage and time since diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 219 parenting partners, all identified as male with a median age of 44 years; 96% (204/213) reported working full-time at the time of the survey. Fifty-four percent endorsed behaviors indicating maladaptive coping. In adjusted analyses, less than full-time employment (β = - 8.76; 95% CI = - 17.37, - 0.14), younger age (β = - 0.35; 95% CI = - 0.069, - 0.02), greater parenting concerns (β = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.36, 0.75), clinically relevant anxiety symptoms (β = 13.79; 95% CI = 10.24, 17.35), lower post-traumatic growth score (β = - 0.33; 95% CI = - 0.51, - 0.16), lower social support (β = - 0.21; 95% CI = - 0.29, - 0.12), lower sexual satisfaction (β = - 0.40; 95% CI = - 0.62, - 0.19), and breast cancer stages 3 (β = 7.61; 95% CI = 0.19, 15.02) and 4 (β = 12.63; 95% CI = 1.91, 23.34), when compared to stage 0, were associated with lower partner QOL. CONCLUSION: Parenting partners of young women with breast cancer have substantial unmet psychosocial needs. Interventions are needed to enhance QOL and promote adaptive coping for this population.
Authors: Anna C Muriel; Cynthia W Moore; Lee Baer; Elyse R Park; Alice B Kornblith; William Pirl; Holly Prigerson; Jennifer Ing; Paula K Rauch Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-04-19 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Florence Schmitt; Jorma Piha; Hans Helenius; Christiane Baldus; Christian Kienbacher; Barbara Steck; Mikael Thastum; Maggie Watson; Georg Romer Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2008-11-24 Impact factor: 44.544