Association of illness mindsets with health-related quality of life in cancer survivors.

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. Method: 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). Results: 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
Source: Health Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research