Description
Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors face various challenges as a result of their cancer diagnosis and treatment, contributing to this population experiencing worse psychosocial outcomes than cancer survivors in other age groups. Coping is an intermediate process that affects the relationship between stress and quality of life outcomes, however few studies have focused on identifying the particular Coping Factors used among post-treatment AYA cancer survivors. This study first aims to identify the Coping Factors used among a sample of post-treatment, female AYA cancer survivors. Secondly, this study explores which personal and cancer-related factors are associated with the Coping Factors identified in aim 1. Data analyzed were secondary, cross-sectional data from an ongoing study at the University of California, San Diego called the Reproductive Window Study. This current study focused on responses to an online enrollment questionnaire completed by AYA female cancer survivors diagnosed with cancer between the ages 15 and 35, for a final sample of N = 843. Coping was measured by responses to the Brief COPE Scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive frequencies, a principal component analysis, ANOVA analyses and negative binomial regression analyses. Results from the principal component analysis determined this study sample engages in three underlying Coping Factors to deal with their cancer-related stress: External Coping, Internal Coping, and Escape Coping. Overall, there were higher mean scores for External and Internal Coping than Escape Coping, suggesting few AYA cancer survivors in this study are utilizing denial, behavioral disengagement, substance use and self-blame to cope. The negative binomial regression models identified several personal and cancer-related factors significantly associated with the three Coping Factors. Higher education and having one medical comorbidity were significantly associated with utilization of External Coping. Being older in age, single, and receiving chemotherapy were significantly associated with utilization of Internal Coping. Reporting poor mental health, having other medical comorbidities, being single and experiencing a recurrence of cancer were significantly associated with utilizing Escape Coping. These findings warrant further exploration of the appraisal of cancer-related stress as well as the relationship between the Coping Factors and psychosocial health outcomes among post-treatment AYA cancer survivors.
