Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The associations between living conditions, demography, and the ‘impact of cancer’ scale in tumor-free cancer survivors: a NOCWO study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Goals of work

The “impact of cancer” scale (IOC) is a new questionnaire that explores attitudes in the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual/existential domains in cancer survivors. This study explores the associations between demography, living conditions (LCs), and the IOC dimensions in disease-free Norwegian survivors who have been treated for breast, prostate, or testicular cancer.

Materials and methods

A questionnaire covering demography, LCs, and the IOC was mailed to 852 cancer survivors; 459 (54%) participated. A living condition index (LCI) was calculated based on self-reported education, employment, annual income, health, housing expenditures, and social participation.

Main results

Survivors with a low LCI level viewed their situation significantly worse on four of five negative IOC dimensions than those with high LCI level. No significant LCI-related differences were observed for the mean scores of positive IOC dimensions. Significant associations were observed between gender, health status, employment, and five to six IOC dimensions. LCs were more often associated with the negative IOC dimensions than the positive ones.

Conclusions

The significant associations between LCs and dimensions of the IOC in tumor-free cancer survivors show that LCs should be considered when health care professionals assist cancer survivors in dealing with the impact the cancer experience had on their lives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adams JM, White M (2004) Biological ageing: a fundamental, biological link between socioeconomic status and health. Eur J Public Health 14:331–334

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Arozullah AM, Calhoun EA, Wolf M, Finley DK, Fitzner KA, Heckinger EA, Gorby NS, Schumock GT, Bennett CL (2004) The financial burden of cancer: estimates from a study of insured women with breast cancer. J Support Oncol 3:271–278

    Google Scholar 

  3. Atkinson T, Cantillon B, Marlier E, Nolan B (2002) Social indicators. The EU and social inclusion. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bjelland I, Dahl AA, Tangen Haug T, Neckelmann D (2002) The validity of the hospital anxiety and depression scale: an updated literature review. J Psychosom Res 52:69–77

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bouchardy C, Verkooijen HM, Fioretta G (2006) Social class is an important prognostic factor of breast cancer mortality. Int J Cancer 5:1145–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bradley CJ, Bednarek HL, Neumark D (2002a) Breast cancer and women’s labour supply. Health Serv Res 37:1309–1328

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bradley CJ, Bednarek HL, Neumark D (2002b) Breast cancer survival, work, and earnings. J Health Econ 21:757–779

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bradley CJ, Neumark D, Bednarek HL, Schenk M (2005) Short-term effect of breast cancer on labor market attachment: results from a longitudinal study. J Health Econ 24:137–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Chirikos TN, Russel-Jacobs A, Cantor AB (2005) Indirect economic effect of long-term breast cancer survival. Cancer Pract 10:248–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Clark EJ, Stovall EL (1996) Advocacy: the cornerstone of cancer survivorship. Cancer Pract 4:239–244

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fayers P, Hays R (eds) (2005) Assessing quality of life in clinical trials: methods and practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gandek B, Ware JE Jr, Aaronson NK, Alonso J, Apolone G, Bjorner J, Brazier J, Bullinger M, Fukuhara S, Kaasa S, Leplege A, Sullivan M (1998) Tests of data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability of the SF-36 in eleven countries: results from the IQOLA project. J Clin Epidemiol 11:1149–1158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gudbergsson SB, Fosså SD, Borgeraas E, Dahl AA (2006) A comparative study of living conditions in cancer patients who have returned to work after curative treatment. Support Care Cancer 14:1020–1029

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kaffashian F, Godward S, Davies T, Solomon L, McCann J, Duffy SW (2003) Socioeconomic effects on breast cancer survival: proportion attributable to stage and morphology. Br J Cancer 89:1693–1696

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kravdal O (2000) Social inequalities in cancer survival. Popul Stud 54:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Krokstad S, Westin S (2002) Health inequalities by socioeconomics status among men in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Norway. Scand J Public Health 30:113–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lauzier S, Maunsell E, De Koninck M, Drolet M, Hèbert-Croteau N, Robert J (2005) Conceptualization and sources of costs from breast cancer: findings from patient and caregiver focus groups. Psychooncology 14:351–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lipscomb J, Gotay CC, Snyder C (eds) (2005) Outcomes assessment in cancer: measures, methods, and applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  19. Main DS, Nowels CT, Cavender TA, Etschmaier M, Steiner JF (2005) A qualitative study of work and work return in cancer survivors. Psychooncology 14:992–1004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Marmot M (2002) The influence of income on health: views of an epidemiologist. Health Aff 21:31–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Michelson H, Bolund C, Brandberg Y (2001) Multiple chronic health problems are negatively associated with health related quality of life (HRQoL) irrespective of age. Qual Life Res 9:1093–1104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Pollack LA, Greer GE, Rowland JH, Miller A, Doneski D, Coughlin SS, Stovall E, Ulman D (2005) Cancer survivorship: a new challenge in comprehensive cancer control. Cancer Causes Control 16(Suppl 1):51–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Short PF, Mallonee EL (2006) Income disparities in the quality of life of cancer survivors. Med Care 44:16–23

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Subhajit DR, Philip J, Javle P (2005) Trends in prostate cancer incidence and survival in various socioeconomic classes: a population-based study. Int J Urol 12:644–653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Statistics Norway (2005) Available at http://www.ssb.no

  26. Steiner JF, Cavender TA, Main DS, Bradley CJ (2004) Assessing the impact of cancer on work outcomes. What are the research needs? Cancer 8:1703–1711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Verbeek J, Spelten E, Kammeijer M, Spangers M (2003) Return to work of cancer survivors: a prospective cohort study into quality of rehabilitation by occupational physicians. Occup Environ Med 60:352–357

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ware JE Jr, Kosinski M, Keller SD (1996) A 12-item short-form health survey: construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Med Care 13:220–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Zebrack BJ, Ganz PA, Bernaards CA, Petersen L, Abraham L (2006) Assessing the impact of cancer: development of a new instrument for long-term survivors. Psychooncology 15:407–421

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This study was sponsored by a research grant from The Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation (grant no. H0-54010/002) and a grant from the Nordic Cancer Union (NCU). We are grateful to the NCU and the members of the NOCWO. Principal investigators of NOWCO were: in Denmark, Kathrine Carlsen and Christopher Johansen; in Finland, Marja-Liisa Lindbohm, Taina Taskila, Rami Martikainen, Pävi Hietanen, and Jari Hakanen; in Iceland, Holmfridur K. Gunnarsdottir, Gudbjorg Linda Rafnsdottir, Nanna Sigurdardottir, Thora Jonsdottir, and Helgi Sigurdsson; and in Norway, Saevar B. Gudbergsson, Alv A. Dahl, and Sophie D. Fosså.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Cancer Clinic, Section of Long-term Studies, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, University of Oslo, Montebello, 0310, Oslo, Norway

    Sævar B. Gudbergsson, Sophie D. Fosså & Alv A. Dahl

  2. Jonnson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Patricia A. Ganz

  3. University of Southern California School of Social Work, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Brad J. Zebrack

Authors
  1. Sævar B. Gudbergsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sophie D. Fosså
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Patricia A. Ganz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Brad J. Zebrack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Alv A. Dahl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sævar B. Gudbergsson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gudbergsson, S.B., Fosså, S.D., Ganz, P.A. et al. The associations between living conditions, demography, and the ‘impact of cancer’ scale in tumor-free cancer survivors: a NOCWO study. Support Care Cancer 15, 1309–1318 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0251-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0251-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation