Dataset Information

Self-Reported Health Problems and Quality of Life in a Sample of Colombian Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To describe the self-reported health problems and quality of life among adult-aged Colombian childhood and adolescent cancer survivors.

Methods

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with Colombian childhood cancer survivors (CCS) who were diagnosed before the age of 18, at the moment of study were ≥18 years, and at least 5 years had passed since diagnosis. Each participant completed a self-reported study-specific online questionnaire along with the SF-36 Health Survey to assess the prevalence of health problems and current quality of life (QoL). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests.

Results

Out of the 122 CCS who participated, 100% reported at least one health problem, mostly gastritis, headaches, and lack of concentration, followed by obesity and fertility issues. In general, they had a good perception of their QoL, which was, on average, only diminished in the areas of vitality, emotional role functioning, and social functioning.

Conclusion

Perceived health problems among the participating Colombian CCS were prevalent; most reported a good self-perceived QoL. This is the first study on understanding health problems and QoL of CCS treated in Colombia and South America. It reopens the debate on the need to carry out long-term follow-up in this population among Colombian society.

SUBMITTER: Godoy-Casasbuenas N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9221244 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Self-Reported Health Problems and Quality of Life in a Sample of Colombian Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Godoy-Casasbuenas Natalia N de Vries Esther E

Cancers 20220618 12

<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe the self-reported health problems and quality of life among adult-aged Colombian childhood and adolescent cancer survivors.<h4>Methods</h4>This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with Colombian childhood cancer survivors (CCS) who were diagnosed before the age of 18, at the moment of study were ≥18 years, and at least 5 years had passed since diagnosis. Each participant completed a self-reported study-specific online questionnaire along with the SF-36 Health Su ...[more]

PMID: 35740664

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Project description:BackgroundEpidemiological studies often rely on self-reported health problems and validation greatly improves study quality. In a study of late effects after childhood cancer, we validated self-reported cardiovascular problems by contacting general practitioners (GPs). This paper describes: (a) the feasibility of this approach; and (b) the agreement between survivor-reports and reports from their GP.MethodsThe Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (SCCSS) contacts all childhood cancer survivors registered in the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry since 1976 who survived at least 5 years from cancer diagnosis. We validated answers of all survivors who reported a cardiovascular problem in the questionnaire. Reported cardiovascular problems were hypertension, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, thrombosis, and valvular problems. In the questionnaire, we further asked survivors to provide a valid address of their GP and a consent for contact. We sent case-report forms to survivors' GPs and requested information on cardiovascular diagnoses of their patients. To determine agreement between information reported by survivors and GPs, we calculated Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficients for each category of cardiovascular problems.ResultsWe used questionnaires from 2172 respondents of the SCCSS. Of 290 survivors (13% of 2172) who reported cardiovascular problems, 166 gave consent to contact their GP and provided a valid address. Of those, 135 GPs (81%) replied, and 128 returned the completed case-report form. Survivor-reports were confirmed by 54/128 GPs (42%). Of the 54 GPs, 36 (28% of 128) confirmed the problems as reported by the survivors; 11 (9% of 128) confirmed the reported problem(s) and gave additional information on more cardiovascular outcomes; and seven GPs (5% of 128) confirmed some, but not all cardiovascular problems. Agreement between GPs and survivors was good for stroke (κ = 0.79), moderate for hypertension (κ = 0.51), arrhythmias (κ = 0.41), valvular problems (κ = 0.41) and thrombosis (κ = 0.56), and poor for coronary heart disease (κ = 0.15) and heart failure (κ = 0.32).ConclusionsDespite excellent GP compliance, it was found unfeasible to validate self-reported cardiovascular problems via GPs because they do not serve as gatekeepers in the Swiss health care system. It is thus necessary to develop other validation methods to improve the quality of patient-reported outcomes.

Project description:The effect of temporal changes in cancer therapy on health status among childhood cancer survivors has not been evaluated.To compare proportions of self-reported adverse health status outcomes among childhood cancer survivors across 3 decades.Cross-sectional. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01120353).27 North American institutions.14 566 adults, who survived for 5 or more years after initial diagnosis (median age, 27 years; range, 18 to 48 years), treated from 1970 to 1999.Patient report of poor general or mental health, functional impairment, activity limitation, or cancer-related anxiety or pain was evaluated as a function of treatment decade, cancer treatment exposure, chronic health conditions, demographic characteristics, and health habits.Despite reductions in late mortality and the proportions of survivors with severe, disabling, or life-threatening chronic health conditions (33.4% among those treated from 1970 to 1979 and 21.0% among those treated from 1990 to 1999), those reporting adverse health status did not decrease by treatment decade. Compared with survivors diagnosed in 1970 to 1979, those diagnosed in 1990 to 1999 were more likely to report poor general health (11.2% vs. 13.7%; P < 0.001) and cancer-related anxiety (13.3% vs. 15.0%; P < 0.001). From 1970 to 1979 and 1990 to 1999, the proportions of survivors reporting adverse outcomes were higher (P < 0.001) among those with leukemia (poor general health, 9.5% and 13.9%) and osteosarcoma (pain, 23.9% and 36.6%). Temporal changes in treatment exposures were not associated with changes in the proportions of survivors reporting adverse health status. Smoking, not meeting physical activity guidelines, and being either underweight or obese were associated with poor health status.Considerable improvement in survival among children diagnosed with cancer in the 1990s compared with those diagnosed in the 1970s makes it difficult to definitively determine the effect of risk factors on later self-reported health status without considering their effect on mortality.Because survival rates after a diagnosis of childhood cancer have improved substantially over the past 30 years, the population of survivors now includes those who would have died in earlier decades. Self-reported health status among survivors has not improved despite evolution of treatment designed to reduce toxicities.The National Cancer Institute.

Dataset Information

Self-Reported Health Problems and Quality of Life in a Sample of Colombian Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Self-Reported Health Problems and Quality of Life in a Sample of Colombian Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

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