Intersection of Physical and Mental Health and Short- and Long-Term Outcomes Among Prostate Cancer Patients
Abstract
We are proposing a study that has strong relevance to one of the FY22 PCRP Overarching Challenges, improve quality of life to enhance outcomes and overall health and wellness for those impacted by prostate cancer. The objective of our study is to develop a hypothesis regarding influence of depression on the health-related quality of life and life expectancy of elderly prostate cancer patients. Additionally, we will explore whether the influence varies based on race and ethnicity of a patient or geographic location of the patient (i.e., urban vs. rural patients). Our study will use linked data from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) and Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS). Our study group will consist of Medicare elderly men who are aged 66 or older, were diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2000 and 2017, resided in SEER regions, and completed one MHOS survey before their prostate cancer diagnosis and one survey after their prostate cancer diagnosis. We will then analyze how depression affects quality of life and life expectancy in our cohort. In addition, we will also assess whether these observed effects are different based on factors such as race and ethnicity of the patient or the residence of the patient (urban vs. rural). Relevance: In the United States, the exponential growth of elderly populations is posing a challenge to the health care system. For example, the United States is expected to see a doubling of the number and percentage of Americans over age 65. The elderly have unique health needs and generally experience a large number of health issues, one of them being prostate cancer. Among men in the United States, prostate cancer is the number one cancer. Thus, over the coming decades, we can expect a growing number of elderly men who have prostate cancer and are in need of health care. Several treatment options are available for prostate cancer. At the same time, beyond treatment, there exist multiple factors that can affect the quality of life and life expectancy of the elderly prostate cancer patients, for example, other concurrent health conditions and social detriments of health. The social determinants of health are the personal level and environmental level factors that influence a person’s conditions of daily life and health and economic outcomes beyond biology or genetic inheritance. One important health condition that can affect the quality of life and life expectancy of elderly prostate cancer patients is depression. In general, depression in the elderly remains an overlooked issue. However, it is important to know what influence depression has on the quality of life and life expectancy of elderly prostate cancer patients. In addition, it is also important to know whether this influence varies based on the race and ethnicity of a patient or based on the geographic location of the patient (i.e., urban vs. rural patients). Applicability: This knowledge will serve as a foundation on which future studies will be based. For example, future research studies can address how exactly depression affects quality of life and life expectancy, i.e., the mechanism; how and why this mechanism differs across patients from different racial and ethnic groups or those from urban areas vs. rural areas. In addition, our research can contribute to the development of an appropriate survivorship care plan for prostate cancer survivors to improve the outcomes of their care. Thus, our research can ultimately lead to patient-centered, tailored intervention strategies, all with an aim to improve the quality of life and life expectancy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2024
- Source ID
- HT94252310027
Entities
People
- Sumedha Chhatre
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Pennsylvania