癌症恐惧的结构及其人口统计学相关因素。
The structure and demographic correlates of cancer fear.
作者信息
Vrinten Charlotte, van Jaarsveld Cornelia H M, Waller Jo, von Wagner Christian, Wardle Jane
机构信息
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
出版信息
BMC Cancer. 2014 Aug 16;14:597. doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-597.
BACKGROUND
Cancer is often described as the 'number one' health fear, but little is known about whether this affects quality of life by translating into high levels of worry or distress in everyday life, or which population groups are most affected. This study examined the prevalence of three components of cancer fear in a large community sample in the UK and explored associations with demographic characteristics.
METHODS
Questions on cancer fear were included in a survey mailed to a community sample of adults (n = 13,351; 55-64 years). Three items from a standard measure of cancer fear assessed: i) whether cancer was feared more than other diseases, ii) whether thinking about cancer caused discomfort, and iii) whether cancer worry was experienced frequently. Gender, marital status, education, and ethnicity were assessed with simple questions. Anxiety was assessed with the brief STAI and a standard measure of self-rated health was included.
RESULTS
Questionnaire return rate was 60% (7,971/13,351). The majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they feared cancer more than other diseases (59%), and felt uncomfortable thinking about it (52%), and a quarter (25%) worried a lot about cancer. All items were significantly inter-correlated (r = .35 to .42, p's < .001), and correlated with general anxiety (r = .16 to .28, p's < .001) and self-rated health (r = -.07 to -.16, p's < .001). In multivariable analyses including anxiety and general health, all cancer fear indicators were significantly higher in women (ORs between 1.15 and 1.48), respondents with lower education (ORs between 1.40 and 1.66), and those with higher general anxiety (ORs between 1.50 and 2.11). Ethnic minority respondents (n = 285; 4.4%) reported more worry (OR: 1.85).
CONCLUSIONS
More than half of this older adult sample in the UK had cancer as greatest health fear and this was associated with feeling uncomfortable thinking about it and worrying more about it. Women and respondents with less education or from ethnic minority backgrounds were disproportionately affected by cancer fear. General anxiety and poor health were associated with cancer fear but did not explain the demographic differences.
背景
癌症常被描述为人们最为担忧的健康问题，但对于它是否会通过转化为日常生活中的高度担忧或困扰来影响生活质量，以及哪些人群受影响最大，我们却知之甚少。本研究调查了英国一个大型社区样本中癌症恐惧三个组成部分的患病率，并探讨了其与人口统计学特征的关联。
方法
关于癌症恐惧的问题被纳入一份邮寄给成年社区样本（n = 13351；年龄在55 - 64岁之间）的调查问卷中。癌症恐惧标准量表中的三个项目评估了：i）是否比其他疾病更害怕癌症，ii）想到癌症是否会引起不适，iii）是否经常担心癌症。通过简单问题评估性别、婚姻状况、教育程度和种族。使用简短的状态 - 特质焦虑量表（STAI）评估焦虑，并纳入自我评定健康的标准量表。
结果
问卷回复率为60%（7971/13351）。大多数受访者同意或强烈同意他们比其他疾病更害怕癌症（59%），想到癌症会感到不舒服（52%），并且四分之一（25%）的人非常担心癌症。所有项目之间均显著相互关联（r = 0.35至0.42，p值 < 0.001），并且与一般焦虑（r = 0.16至0.28，p值 < 0.001）和自我评定健康（r = -0.07至 -0.16，p值 < 0.001）相关。在包括焦虑和总体健康状况在内的多变量分析中，所有癌症恐惧指标在女性中显著更高（比值比在1.15至1.48之间），教育程度较低的受访者（比值比在1.40至1.66之间），以及一般焦虑程度较高的受访者（比值比在1.50至2.11之间）。少数族裔受访者（n = 285；4.4%）报告有更多担忧（比值比：1.85）。
结论
在这个英国老年成人样本中，超过一半的人将癌症视为最大的健康担忧，这与想到癌症时感到不舒服以及更多地担心它有关。女性、教育程度较低或来自少数族裔背景的受访者受癌症恐惧的影响尤为严重。一般焦虑和健康状况不佳与癌症恐惧相关，但并不能解释人口统计学差异。
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