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Item A cohort study of quality of life in partners of young breast cancer survivors compared to partners of healthy controls(Springer, 2020-03-06) Cohee, Andrea A.; Storey, Susan; Winger, Joseph; Cella, David; Stump, Timothy; Monahan, Patrick; Champion, VictoriaBackground Partners of young breast cancer survivors (BCS) are at increased risk for deficits in quality of life (QoL). To intervene effectively, it is important to understand how the breast cancer experience impacts partners. The purpose of this study was to compare QoL between partners of young BCS and partners of healthy acquaintance controls. Methods Partners of young BCS (3–8 years post treatment and ≤ 45 years old at diagnosis) and partners of age-matched healthy acquaintance controls completed questionnaires on overall, physical (physical function, sexual difficulty), social (personal resources, sexual enjoyment, marital satisfaction, partner social support, social constraints, parenting satisfaction), psychological (depressive symptoms), and spiritual (behaviors, beliefs, and activities) QoL. Analyses included descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA to compare partner groups on all study variables. Results Although partners of young BCS (n = 227) reported fewer social constraints (p < .001), they reported lower overall QoL (p < .001), fewer personal resources (p < .001), more sexual difficulty (p = .019), less sexual enjoyment (p = .002), less marital satisfaction (p = .019), more depressive symptoms (p = .024), and fewer spiritual behaviors (p < .001), beliefs (p = .001) and activities (p = .003) compared to partners of healthy acquaintance controls (n = 170). Additional analysis showed that perceptions that the relationship changed for the better since cancer, social constraints, partner social support, and depression predicted marital satisfaction among partners of young BCS. Conclusions Partners of young BCS are at risk for poorer overall, physical, social, psychological, and spiritual QoL compared to partners of healthy women. Interventions targeting QoL domains may enable partners to effectively support their partner and improve their QoL.Item Spirituality, emotional distress, and post-traumatic growth in breast cancer survivors and their partners: an actor–partner interdependence modeling approach(Wiley, 2017-10) Gesselman, Amanda N.; Bigatti, Silvia M.; Garcia, Justin R.; Coe, Kathryn; Cella, David; Champion, Victoria L.; Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public HealthBackground The association between spirituality and emotional health has been well documented in healthy individuals. A small literature has shown that spirituality plays a role in well-being for some breast cancer (BC) survivors; however, this link is virtually unexplored in partners/spouses of survivors. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between spirituality, emotional distress, and post-traumatic growth for BC survivors and their partners using a dyadic analyses approach. Methods A total of 498 couples who were 3–8 years post-BC diagnosis were recruited from the Eastern Oncology Group database. Results For BC survivors and their partners, greater levels of spirituality were associated with increases in their own post-traumatic growth. There was no relation between BC and partner spirituality and their own emotional distress, but partner’s spirituality was associated with reduced occurrence of intrusive thoughts in the BC survivor. In contrast, BC survivors’ spirituality was found to be wholly unrelated to partner’s mental health and adjustment. Conclusions Following diagnosis and treatment, spirituality appears to associate with positive growth in BC survivors and their partners. However, BC survivor and partner spirituality seem to be ineffective at impacting the other’s post-traumatic growth or emotional distress, with the exception of intrusive thoughts. Dyadic analysis takes into account the reciprocal influence of close relationships on health and is an important and under-utilized methodology in behavioral oncology research and clinical practice.Item Supportive Intervention for Advanced Lung Cancer Patients and Their Partners(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2013-04-05) Davis, Breanna; Bigatti, Silvia M.In recent years, cancer has ruthlessly taken many lives. Many forms of cancer have proven to be incurable, so a good sense of well-being and significant meaning of life is important before death. Although there have been a few programs that have focused on death-related concerns of dying patients, none have included the partner. Relationship issues have surfaced as one of the crucial concerns for patients, especially at the end of life. The stress of a patient also affects the partner’s well-being in the long run. The intention of this intervention is to lessen death-related stress for cancer patients and their partners. Cancer patients and their partners will be selected through a screening process through the Indiana University Cancer Center for a four-week intervention. The patients and partners then will take a pre-intervention assessment (Quantitative) followed by the intervention (Qualitative) itself. After the intervention, the patients and partners will take a post-intervention assessment (Quantitative). When analyzing, we will look for themes in the data and determine if the numbers have improved from the preassessment to the post-assessment. The findings from the qualitative and quantitative data will be used to assist in the improvement of cancer interventions and the updating of current practices, which will enhance its efficacy.