Search:

Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cancer survivorship research has yielded important insights into the impact of cancer and associated treatments on such areas as quality of life, emotional functioning, and neuropsychological abilities. However, there are critical gaps in understanding the functional significance of these previously documented effects in terms of community/social and vocational activities, and in determining whether these influences are manifest differently among cancer survivors residing in rural areas. The present study endeavors to expand upon existing research by evaluating individual and environmental factors that predict community functioning, vocational and financial outcomes, and quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Additionally, the study will elucidate interactions between urban/rural residence and individual and environmental factors on these functional outcomes. The study will involve evaluating 75 women with a history of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer at 1-, 6-, and 12-months following the completion of their treatment. The data collected will enable us to understand the potentially vital role of neuropsychological, psychological, social/environmental, and medical factors in fostering improved vocational/financial, community functioning and quality of life outcomes. By identifying factors that predict positive long-term outcomes, this project will begin to address the relative lack of existing research on the experiences of breast cancer survivors living in rural communities. The emphasis on functional outcomes will also be an important extension of extant research. By elucidating factors associated with positive and/or negative outcomes among cancer survivors, this project will serve as a foundation for future intervention programs and future research examining long-term functional outcomes.