MPC Member Publications

This database contains a listing of population studies publications written by MPC Members. Anyone can add a publication by an MPC student, faculty, or staff member to this database; new citations will be reviewed and approved by MPC administrators.

Full Citation

Title: Associations between a sense of connection and existential and psychosocial outcomes in gynecologic and breast cancer survivors

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2022

ISSN: 14337339

DOI: 10.1007/S00520-021-06784-8/TABLES/2

PMID: 34985561

Abstract: Background: A cancer diagnosis may lead to existential despair but potentially also to perceived inner growth. This growth may be fostered through meaningful connections with others. We sought to describe existential and related psychosocial outcomes and their association with a sense of connection with others in individuals with gynecological and breast cancers. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from two ongoing cohort studies of gynecologic (N = 236) and breast (N = 62) cancer survivors at the University of Minnesota. We summarized self-reported post-traumatic growth (PTG), sense of meaning, peace, spirituality, hopelessness, loneliness, and three exploratory measures of sense of connections with others, and used multivariate linear regression models to describe the associations between them. Results: Hope, sense of meaning, peace, and spirituality were generally high among participants, but PTG and loneliness scores varied more. Sense of connection with others was consistently associated with greater PTG and decreased loneliness with medium effect sizes: for example having positive interactions with most/all versus nobody on one’s medical team, PTG (coefficient 10.49, 95% CI: 4.10, 16.87, Cohen’s D 0.44); loneliness (coefficient − 0.85, 95% CI: − 1.36, − 0.34, Cohen’s D 0.43). Those who knew someone in a similar life situation felt a strong sense of connection with such a person; however, 28% of participants had not met anyone in a similar situation. Conclusions: There may be untapped opportunities to nurture beneficial existential outcomes in cancer survivors. Potential interventions include connecting survivors with one another and creating opportunities for more authentic patient-provider relationships, for example, within palliative care.

Url: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-021-06784-8

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Jewett, Patricia I.; Vogel, Rachel I.; Galchutt, Paul; Everson-Rose, Susan A.; Teoh, Deanna; Radomski, Mary; Blaes, Anne H.

Periodical (Full): Supportive Care in Cancer

Issue: 4

Volume: 30

Pages: 3329-3336

Countries:

IPUMS NHGIS NAPP IHIS ATUS Terrapop