Association of illness mindsets with health-related quality of life in cancer survivors. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association Zeidman, A., Benedict, C., Zion, S. R., Fisher, S., Tolby, L., Kurian, A. W., Berek, J. S., Woldeamanuel, Y. W., Schapira, L., Palesh, O. 2022; 41 (6): 389-395

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the association between mindsets-established, but mutable beliefs that a person holds-and health-related quality of life in survivors of breast and gynecologic cancer.A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Measures included the Illness Mindset Questionnaire and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G).Two hundred seventy-three survivors (74% breast/26% gynecologic) who were on average 3.9 years post-diagnosis (SD = 4.2), Mage 55 (SD = 12) completed the survey (response rate 80%). Of the survivors, 20.1% (N = 55) endorsed ("agree" or "strongly agree") that Cancer is a Catastrophe, 52.4% (N = 143) endorsed that Cancer is Manageable, and 65.9% (N = 180) endorsed that Cancer can be an Opportunity (not mutually exclusive). Those who endorsed a maladaptive mindset (Cancer is a Catastrophe) reported lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with those who did not hold this belief (p < .001). Alternatively, those who endorsed more adaptive mindsets (Cancer is Manageable or Cancer can be an Opportunity) reported better HRQOL compared with those who disagreed (all p-values < .05). All three mindsets were independent correlates of HRQOL, explaining 6-15% unique variance in HRQOL, even after accounting for demographic and medical factors.Mindsets about illness are significantly associated with HRQOL in cancer survivors. Our data come from a one-time evaluation of cancer survivors at a single clinic and provide a foundation for future longitudinal studies and RCTs on the relationship between mindsets and psychosocial outcomes in cancer survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

View details for DOI 10.1037/hea0001186

View details for PubMedID 35604702