The Effects of Supportive and Nonsupportive Behaviors on the Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Patients and Their Spouses
Abstract
Research on prostate cancer has not as yet identified how patients' and their spouses' supportive (e.g., giving advice/emotional support) and non-supportive behaviors (e.g., criticizing/avoiding partner) affect and are affected by their: (1) feelings of illness uncertainty, (2) psychological well-being, and (3) quality of life (QOL). The major aims of this two and a half year longitudinal questionnaire study are to address the following questions among 150 early stage prostate cancer patients and their spouses at time of diagnosis and at one, six, and 12 month post-initiation of treatment: (1) do to illness uncertainty and perceptions of control predict patient and spouse supportive and non-supportive behavior, QOL and psychological-well-being/distress? (2) does perceived inadequacy of partner support predict non-supportive behaviors? and (3) to what extent do supportive and non-supportive behaviors mediate the relationship between illness uncertainty and QOL and illness uncertainty and psychological well-being? To date, we have successfully recruited, at baseline, 132 patients and 114 spouses. Preliminary baseline results suggest that patients' QOL, is significantly related to perceptions of marital satisfaction, social support and unsupportive behaviors. These relationships did not hold true to spouses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA380234
Entities
People
- Isaac M. Lipkus
Organizations
- Duke University Hospital