scholarly journals Posttraumatic Growth and Coping Strategies Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Do Approach Coping and Avoidant Coping Predict Posttraumatic Growth Over Time?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar ◽  
Norhaliza Abd Hamid ◽  
Nur Amirah Hamdan ◽  
Rama Krsna Rajandram ◽  
Raynuha Mahadevan ◽  
...  

Despite an enormous number of studies addressing the importance of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among cancer patients, the literature lacks data regarding how different coping strategies affect PTG among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients over time. This longitudinal study investigated the PTG trend and coping over 5–7months among a cohort of HNC patients within the first year after their diagnosis. It determined an association between coping strategies and PTG over time. The study’s HNC respondents were administered a socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire during their baseline assessments. Additionally, the Malay versions of the “PTG Inventory-Short Form” (PTGI-SF) and the “Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory” (Brief COPE) were administered during respondents’ baseline assessments and follow-up assessments (5–7months after the baseline assessments). In total, 200 respondents reported an increasing PTG trend and approach coping (active coping, planning, positive reframing, acceptance, emotional support, and instrumental support) and a decreasing trend of avoidant coping (self-distraction and denial) over time. Two approach coping strategies (acceptance and planning) significantly increased PTG while denial was the only avoidant coping strategy that significantly lowered PTG, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, over time. Our study’s findings identified the need to incorporate psychosocial interventions that enhance approach coping and reduce avoidant coping into HNC patients’ treatment regimes.

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1159-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura H.A. Korsten ◽  
Femke Jansen ◽  
Ben J.F. Haan ◽  
Danielle Sent ◽  
Pim Cuijpers ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 894-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Abdullah ◽  
Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar ◽  
Hazli Zakaria ◽  
Rama Krsna Rajandram ◽  
Raynuha Mahadevan ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6594-6594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrujal S. Baxi ◽  
Eric Jeffrey Sherman ◽  
Coral L Atoria ◽  
Nancy Y. Lee ◽  
David G. Pfister ◽  
...  

6594 Background: The benefit of chemoradiation (CTRT) in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) declines in older and sicker patients. In 2006, the FDA approved cetuximab in LAHNC. Cetuximab with radiation has a perceived lower side effect profile compared to standard chemotherapies used in CTRT. Our objective was to examine the impact of cetuximab on the use of CTRT in elderly patients with LAHNC. Methods: We identified adults aged 66 and older diagnosed with LAHNC between 1999 and 2007 in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Treatment was categorized as CTRT or other based on Medicare claims within 6 months of diagnosis. We excluded patients who did not receive definitive treatment. In patients who had CTRT, we identified use of cetuximab based on drug-specific billing codes. We assessed trends in the use of CTRT over the entire study period and in the use of cetuximab since 2006. We examined the influence of age and comorbidity on the likelihood of receiving CTRT before and after 2006 adjusting for clinical and demographic factors. Results: We identified 4,809 patients with LAHNC. One-fourth were ≥80 years and almost a fifth had a Charlson comorbidity score (CCS) of ≥2. Overall more than 20% of patients received CTRT. The use of CTRT more than tripled over time, from 10% of patients diagnosed in 1999 to 38% in 2007 (p<0.0001 for trend). Of the 336 patients who had CTRT since 2006, 45% received cetuximab. Prior to 2006, patients ≥80 years or those with a CCS of ≥2 were significantly less likely to be treated with CTRT compared to younger patients or those with a CCS of 0. In patients diagnosed in 2006 or later, age and comorbidity no longer predicted the likelihood of receiving CTRT. Conclusions: In this population-based cohort of older adults, the use of CTRT increased substantially over time. The availability of cetuximab, with a perceived gentler side effect profile, may have increased the use of CTRT, especially in older and sicker patients. [Table: see text]


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