The impact of cancer on psychosocial function and quality of life: A cross-sectional study in 18 pan-European countries

Svetlana Bazilainsky; Miri Cohen; Karen Holtmaat; Brach Erlich; Irma M. Verdonck-de Leeuw

doi:10.1002/pon.6083

The impact of cancer on psychosocial function and quality of life: A cross-sectional study in 18 pan-European countries

Svetlana Bazilainsky, Miri Cohen, Karen Holtmaat, Brach Erlich, Irma M. Verdonck-de Leeuw

School of Social Work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: To improve psychosocial cancer care in Europe, more information is needed on psychosocial function and quality of life (QoL) among cancer patients in European countries. Aims: To investigate differences in psychosocial function between cancer survivors and the general population in Europe, in relation to national economic status and personal factors. Method: Data were from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Wave 6). Main outcomes were psychosocial functioning: activity limitations, income adequacy, loneliness, depression, and QoL. Factors possibly associated with the main outcomes were ever having cancer, gross domestic product (GDP), and personal factors (age, gender, education, marriage status, employment status, number of children, number of chronic diseases). Results: The study sample featured 6238 cancer survivors and 60,961 individuals without cancer aged 50 or older in 17 European countries and Israel. Levels of depression were higher and QoL was lower among cancer survivors compared to individuals without cancer and worse in low GDP countries, whereas differences in income adequacy and loneliness were not statistically significant. The interaction of cancer groups and country groups indicated a significant interactional effect on activity limitations, loneliness, depression, and QoL. In a multivariate regression analysis, personal factors, GDP, and being a cancer survivor predicted the main outcome variables. Conclusions: Cancer has a persistent negative effect on survivors that is related to a country's GDP. Cancer survivors in low-GDP countries are affected by the consequences of cancer intertwined with the hardships of living in a low-GDP country.

Original language	English
Number of pages	10
Journal	Psycho-Oncology
Volume	32
Issue number	3
Early online date	5 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.6083
State	Published - Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The SHARE data collection has been funded by the European Commission, DG RTD through FP5 (QLK6‐CT‐2001‐00360), FP6 (SHARE‐I3: RII‐CT‐2006‐062193, COMPARE: CIT5‐CT‐2005‐028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4‐CT‐2006‐028812), FP7 (SHARE‐PREP: GA N°211909, SHARE‐LEAP: GA N°227822, SHARE M4: GA N°261982, DASISH: GA N°283646) and Horizon 2020 (SHARE‐DEV3: GA N°676536, SHARE‐COHESION: GA N°870628, SERISS: GA N°654221, SSHOC: GA N°823782, SHARE‐COVID19: GA N°101015924) and by DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion through VS 2015/0195, VS 2016/0135, VS 2018/0285, VS 2019/0332, and VS 2020/0313. Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740‐13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1‐AG‐4553‐01, IAG_BSR06‐11, OGHA_04‐064, HHSN271201300071C, RAG052527A) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share‐project.org).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

activity limitations
cancer
depression
Europe
gross domestic product
income adequacy
loneliness
oncology
quality of life

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Oncology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

@article{607b901de9e64a2bbd39c61fbe9d97f2,

title = "The impact of cancer on psychosocial function and quality of life: A cross-sectional study in 18 pan-European countries",

abstract = "Background: To improve psychosocial cancer care in Europe, more information is needed on psychosocial function and quality of life (QoL) among cancer patients in European countries. Aims: To investigate differences in psychosocial function between cancer survivors and the general population in Europe, in relation to national economic status and personal factors. Method: Data were from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Wave 6). Main outcomes were psychosocial functioning: activity limitations, income adequacy, loneliness, depression, and QoL. Factors possibly associated with the main outcomes were ever having cancer, gross domestic product (GDP), and personal factors (age, gender, education, marriage status, employment status, number of children, number of chronic diseases). Results: The study sample featured 6238 cancer survivors and 60,961 individuals without cancer aged 50 or older in 17 European countries and Israel. Levels of depression were higher and QoL was lower among cancer survivors compared to individuals without cancer and worse in low GDP countries, whereas differences in income adequacy and loneliness were not statistically significant. The interaction of cancer groups and country groups indicated a significant interactional effect on activity limitations, loneliness, depression, and QoL. In a multivariate regression analysis, personal factors, GDP, and being a cancer survivor predicted the main outcome variables. Conclusions: Cancer has a persistent negative effect on survivors that is related to a country's GDP. Cancer survivors in low-GDP countries are affected by the consequences of cancer intertwined with the hardships of living in a low-GDP country.",

keywords = "activity limitations, cancer, depression, Europe, gross domestic product, income adequacy, loneliness, oncology, quality of life",

author = "Svetlana Bazilainsky and Miri Cohen and Karen Holtmaat and Brach Erlich and {Verdonck-de Leeuw}, {Irma M.}",

note = "Funding Information: The SHARE data collection has been funded by the European Commission, DG RTD through FP5 (QLK6‐CT‐2001‐00360), FP6 (SHARE‐I3: RII‐CT‐2006‐062193, COMPARE: CIT5‐CT‐2005‐028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4‐CT‐2006‐028812), FP7 (SHARE‐PREP: GA N°211909, SHARE‐LEAP: GA N°227822, SHARE M4: GA N°261982, DASISH: GA N°283646) and Horizon 2020 (SHARE‐DEV3: GA N°676536, SHARE‐COHESION: GA N°870628, SERISS: GA N°654221, SSHOC: GA N°823782, SHARE‐COVID19: GA N°101015924) and by DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion through VS 2015/0195, VS 2016/0135, VS 2018/0285, VS 2019/0332, and VS 2020/0313. Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740‐13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1‐AG‐4553‐01, IAG_BSR06‐11, OGHA_04‐064, HHSN271201300071C, RAG052527A) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share‐project.org). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1002/pon.6083",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

journal = "Psycho-Oncology",

issn = "1057-9249",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "3",

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T1 - The impact of cancer on psychosocial function and quality of life

T2 - A cross-sectional study in 18 pan-European countries

AU - Bazilainsky, Svetlana

AU - Cohen, Miri

AU - Holtmaat, Karen

AU - Erlich, Brach

AU - Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M.

N1 - Funding Information: The SHARE data collection has been funded by the European Commission, DG RTD through FP5 (QLK6‐CT‐2001‐00360), FP6 (SHARE‐I3: RII‐CT‐2006‐062193, COMPARE: CIT5‐CT‐2005‐028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4‐CT‐2006‐028812), FP7 (SHARE‐PREP: GA N°211909, SHARE‐LEAP: GA N°227822, SHARE M4: GA N°261982, DASISH: GA N°283646) and Horizon 2020 (SHARE‐DEV3: GA N°676536, SHARE‐COHESION: GA N°870628, SERISS: GA N°654221, SSHOC: GA N°823782, SHARE‐COVID19: GA N°101015924) and by DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion through VS 2015/0195, VS 2016/0135, VS 2018/0285, VS 2019/0332, and VS 2020/0313. Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740‐13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1‐AG‐4553‐01, IAG_BSR06‐11, OGHA_04‐064, HHSN271201300071C, RAG052527A) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share‐project.org). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2023/3

Y1 - 2023/3

N2 - Background: To improve psychosocial cancer care in Europe, more information is needed on psychosocial function and quality of life (QoL) among cancer patients in European countries. Aims: To investigate differences in psychosocial function between cancer survivors and the general population in Europe, in relation to national economic status and personal factors. Method: Data were from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Wave 6). Main outcomes were psychosocial functioning: activity limitations, income adequacy, loneliness, depression, and QoL. Factors possibly associated with the main outcomes were ever having cancer, gross domestic product (GDP), and personal factors (age, gender, education, marriage status, employment status, number of children, number of chronic diseases). Results: The study sample featured 6238 cancer survivors and 60,961 individuals without cancer aged 50 or older in 17 European countries and Israel. Levels of depression were higher and QoL was lower among cancer survivors compared to individuals without cancer and worse in low GDP countries, whereas differences in income adequacy and loneliness were not statistically significant. The interaction of cancer groups and country groups indicated a significant interactional effect on activity limitations, loneliness, depression, and QoL. In a multivariate regression analysis, personal factors, GDP, and being a cancer survivor predicted the main outcome variables. Conclusions: Cancer has a persistent negative effect on survivors that is related to a country's GDP. Cancer survivors in low-GDP countries are affected by the consequences of cancer intertwined with the hardships of living in a low-GDP country.

AB - Background: To improve psychosocial cancer care in Europe, more information is needed on psychosocial function and quality of life (QoL) among cancer patients in European countries. Aims: To investigate differences in psychosocial function between cancer survivors and the general population in Europe, in relation to national economic status and personal factors. Method: Data were from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (Wave 6). Main outcomes were psychosocial functioning: activity limitations, income adequacy, loneliness, depression, and QoL. Factors possibly associated with the main outcomes were ever having cancer, gross domestic product (GDP), and personal factors (age, gender, education, marriage status, employment status, number of children, number of chronic diseases). Results: The study sample featured 6238 cancer survivors and 60,961 individuals without cancer aged 50 or older in 17 European countries and Israel. Levels of depression were higher and QoL was lower among cancer survivors compared to individuals without cancer and worse in low GDP countries, whereas differences in income adequacy and loneliness were not statistically significant. The interaction of cancer groups and country groups indicated a significant interactional effect on activity limitations, loneliness, depression, and QoL. In a multivariate regression analysis, personal factors, GDP, and being a cancer survivor predicted the main outcome variables. Conclusions: Cancer has a persistent negative effect on survivors that is related to a country's GDP. Cancer survivors in low-GDP countries are affected by the consequences of cancer intertwined with the hardships of living in a low-GDP country.

KW - activity limitations

KW - cancer

KW - depression

KW - Europe

KW - gross domestic product

KW - income adequacy

KW - loneliness

KW - oncology

KW - quality of life

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DO - 10.1002/pon.6083

M3 - Article

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SN - 1057-9249

VL - 32

JO - Psycho-Oncology

JF - Psycho-Oncology

IS - 3

ER -

The impact of cancer on psychosocial function and quality of life: A cross-sectional study in 18 pan-European countries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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