Examining factors associated with self-management skills in teenage survivors of cancer.

BACKGROUND

Monitoring long-term health of teenage cancer survivors is dependent on successful transition from pediatric to adult long-term follow-up (LTFU) care. This study identified factors associated with self-management skills (SMSs), an important correlate of successful transition.

METHODS

Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey conducted at three Canadian hospitals between July 2011 and January 2012. The sample included 184 childhood cancer survivors aged between 15 and 19 years. Independent factors included demographic- and illness-related factors. The outcome of interest was SMSs, measured using the SMSs scale, with higher scores indicating more SMSs.

RESULTS

More SMSs were associated positively with older age (β = 1.2, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.1 to 2.4), being female (β = 4.6, 95 % CI = 1.9 to 7.4), and having a non-married parent (β = 5.2, 95 % CI = 0.04 to 10.4). There was a negative association between SMSs and having had a central nervous system tumor (CNS) compared to having leukemia (β = -7.9, 95 % CI = -13.5 to -2.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Younger, male, and CNS tumor survivors lack SMSs. Future research is needed to explore the extent and nature of associations between SMSs and parents' marital status.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Younger, male, and CNS tumor survivors should be targeted for interventions in order to ensure that adequate SMSs are attained before completion of transition.