Uncertainty, posttraumatic stress, and health behavior in young adult childhood cancer survivors.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Young adult survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for medical late effects, some of which can be managed through health promotion behaviors. However, chronic uncertainty about the future can lead to the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) that can interfere with health promotion behaviors.

OBJECTIVES:
To test a mediating model for the relationships among uncertainty, PTSS, and health promotion behaviors in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

METHODS:
The design was cross-sectional correlational. A convenience sample was used, and the data were collected using a mailed survey. Study measures included the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community Form, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Index, and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II.

RESULTS:
Forty-six (51.1%) of the eligible survivors responded to the invitation to participate in the study. The analysis was based on data from 45 survivors. The results show that the relationship between PTSS and health promotion behaviors was mediated by uncertainty.

DISCUSSION:
Uncertainty is a suitable target for theory-based nursing interventions used to boost health promotion behaviors in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

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Author information

Author/s: Santacroce, Sheila Judge (SJ); Lee, Ya-Ling (YL);

Affiliation: School of Nursing and Advanced Practice Nurse, HEROS Program, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Nursing research (Nurs Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2006 Jul-Aug; vol 55 (issue 4) : pp 259-66

Dates: Created 2006/07/19; Completed 2006/08/18; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16849978, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Male
Models, Psychological
Neoplasms - psychology; rehabilitation
New England
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology; psychology
Survivors - psychology
Uncertainty

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