Post-traumatic stress symptoms in cancer survivors: relationship to the impact of cancer scale and other associated risk factors

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms in a sample of cancer survivors and to investigate their association with the impact of cancer, depressive symptoms, and social support. MethodsWe administered a survey to participants in a cancer survivor registry. It included: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C), Impact of Cancer Scale (IOC) v.2, and measures of social support, income, and long-term effects of cancer. We performed multivariate analyses to estimate associations between PCL-C and other variables. PCL-C score was examined as a continuous dependent variable and categorically. ResultsResponses were available from 162 cancer survivors. Mean age was 51years (standard deviation (SD) 16); mean time since diagnosis was 11years (SD 10). Mean PCL-C score was 27 (SD 9, range 17-64); 29% of the sample scored 30 and above, 13% scored 38 and above, 7% scored 44 and above. Linear regression indicated that PCL-C scores were significantly associated with the IOC negative impact summary scale (NIS) (p<0.001), depressive symptoms (p=0.003), less social support (p=0.02), and lower income (p=0.03). NIS subscale analyses showed that two subscales, life interference (LI) and worry (W), were significantly correlated with PCL-C score (LI: p<0.001; W: p=0.02). ConclusionsIn this study, the IOC NIS was associated with endorsement of PTSD symptoms. Assessing survivors for PTSD symptoms with the PCL-C could detect those individuals in need of psychosocial support. The IOC may be useful for identifying target areas for interventions to reduce these symptoms among cancer survivors. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.