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- Alfonsson, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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Socio-demographic and clinical variables associated with psychological distress one and three years after a breast cancer diagnosis
- 2016
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Ingår i: Supportive Care in Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0941-4355 .- 1433-7339. ; 24:9, s. 4017-4023
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: A large group of women (20-30%) report psychological distress shortly after breast cancer diagnosis, and some experience continued or increased symptoms over time. The aim of this study was to investigate socio-demographic and clinical variables associated with sustained psychological distress in this patient group. METHODS: Women with breast cancer (n=833) completed self-report questionnaires regarding socio-demographic and clinical variables shortly after (T1) and 3years after diagnosis (T2) while data on illness severity were collected from a quality register. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used as a measure of psychological distress at both time points. RESULTS: The number of participants who reported elevated levels of anxiety was 231 (28%) at T1 and 231 (28%) at T2 while elevated depressive symptoms was reported by 119 (14%) women at T1 and 92 (11%) at T2. Despite non-significant differences in mean scores over time, 91 (15%) participants reported increased anxiety symptoms and 47 (7%) reported increased depressive symptoms. Poor financial situation, lack of social support, previous psychiatric treatment, and high levels of fatigue were associated with both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Reporting high levels of fatigue was the variable most strongly associated with increased psychological distress over time. CONCLUSION: Most participants reported decreased psychological distress over time, but there were subgroups of women who experienced sustained or increased symptoms of anxiety or depression. Participants with poor financial status, previous psychological problems, or high levels of fatigue may be at increased risk of psychological distress. Such individuals may benefit most from psychosocial interventions.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Lundh, Marie Høyer, et al.
(författare)
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Changes in health-related quality of life by occupational status among women diagnosed with breast cancer--a population-based cohort study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Psycho-Oncology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1057-9249 .- 1099-1611. ; 22:10, s. 2321-2331
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether longitudinal changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among breast cancer patients vary by prediagnosis occupational status or postdiagnosis changes in working time.METHODS: We identified 1573 patients in the Breast Cancer Quality Register of Central Sweden and asked them to participate in a longitudinal questionnaire study. A total of n = 841 women completed three questionnaires within a mean time of 4, 16, and 38 months postdiagnosis. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine changes in European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire subscales stratified by prediagnosis occupational status and postdiagnosis changes in working time.RESULTS: Over time, the proportion of employed women reporting good functioning increased more, and the proportion reporting a high level of symptoms decreased more compared with women on sick leave/disability pension and retirement pensioners (p < 0.001). The latter two also showed a worsening in several subscales (p < 0.05). Among employed women, more consistent improvements in role and social functioning were observed among those with an increase/no change in working time than among those who had decreased it or stopped working (p < 0.05). A decrease in the proportion reporting pain was observed among women with an increase/no change in working time compared with women with decreased working time, among whom the proportion reporting pain increased (p = 0.008).CONCLUSIONS: Being employed prediagnosis and resuming work to the same extent as prior to the breast cancer diagnosis are associated with consistent improvements in HRQoL. These results highlight the importance of interventions to improve HRQoL and policies to support return to work following diagnosis.
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| 4. |
- Lundh, Marie Høyer, 1982-
(författare)
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Health-Related Quality of Life and Return to Work following Breast Cancer
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to study health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and return to work in the first 3 years following a breast cancer diagnosis, and to identify clinical and contextual factors associated with these outcomes.Method: The four studies were part of a population-based cohort study including women identified in the Breast Cancer Quality Register in central Sweden. Of 1,573 women asked to participate, 69% (n=1,093) responded to a baseline questionnaire, 62% (n=977) responded at the 1st follow-up and 54% (n=856) participated at the 2nd follow-up (mean time 4, 16 and 38 months post-diagnosis, respectively). Studies II and IV only included women aged <63 years at diagnosis. In Study IV, each woman was individually matched to five breast-cancer-free controls. Questionnaire data on HRQoL, socio-demographics and work-related variables were combined with clinical register, normative and social insurance data.Main findings: Study I: Women with breast cancer, particularly women aged <50 years, experienced poorer HRQoL at baseline than normative data. Chemotherapy, lack of social support, sick leave and a poor financial situation were associated with poorer HRQoL. Study II: Compared with pre-diagnosis working time, 72% of participating women reported no change, 2% had increased their working time, 15% reported a decrease in working time and 11% did not work at the 1st follow-up. Chemotherapy, cancer-related work limitations and less value attached to work increased the odds of job discontinuation/decreased working time. Study III: During the 3 years post-diagnosis, HRQoL generally improved. Less consistent improvements were found among women on sick leave/disability pension pre-diagnosis and women reporting job discontinuation/decreased working time post-diagnosis. Study IV: The proportion of women with breast cancer on sick leave steadily decreased during the 3 years post-diagnosis, but they were more likely to be on sick leave than the controls. Chemotherapy, fatigue and pre-diagnosis sick days predicted sickness absence during the 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis.Conclusions: Most women with breast cancer gradually recover, but there are subgroups of women who may be particularly vulnerable. In a clinical setting, increased attention should be directed towards women undergoing chemotherapy, young women, women on sick leave/disability pension pre-diagnosis and women who do not return to work to the same extent as pre-diagnosis.
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| 5. |
- Lundh, Marie Høyer, et al.
(författare)
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Sickness absence and disability pension following breast cancer - A population-based matched cohort study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Breast. - : Churchill Livingstone. - 0960-9776 .- 1532-3080. ; 23:6, s. 844-851
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To compare sickness absence and disability pension in a population-based cohort of women with breast cancer (n = 463) from 1 year pre-diagnosis until 3 years post-diagnosis with a matched control group (n = 2310), and to investigate predictors of sickness absence during the 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis.Results: Following breast cancer, the proportion of disease-free women with sickness absence decreased post-diagnosis (1st-3rd year; 78%-31%-19%), but did not reach the pre-diagnostic level (14%; P < 0.05). Post-diagnosis, patients were more likely than controls to be sickness absent (1st-3rd year; P < 0.001). No between-group differences were observed for disability pension post-diagnosis (P > 0.05). Among patients, chemotherapy, baseline fatigue and pre-diagnosis sick days predicted sickness absence during the 2nd, 3rd, and 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis, respectively (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Breast cancer is associated with increased sickness absence 3 years post-diagnosis. In a clinical setting, prevention and treatment of side effects are important in reducing long-term consequences.
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