A STUDY ON PARENTAL STRESS DUE TO CHILDHOOD CANCER WITH STATUS AND DEMANDS OF ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS

Abstract

In this study we examine relationships between a mother’s stress-related conditions and parenting attitudes (study I) and the status and demands of the cancer survivors and their impact on the family (study II & III). The aim was to increase our understanding of the determinants of south Indian parental reactions and needs. This facilitates the development of the care and follow-up routines for families, paying attention to both individual risk and resilience factors and to ways in which limitations related to treatment centre and organizational characteristics could be compensated. Nearly 950 mothers of a cancer affected children of 2 to 14 years old, completed a questionnaire including questions about their stress / coping behaviors, parenting attitudes and their family impact. One year later, a follow-up questionnaire was collected from the mothers that included questions on the child’s disease status. Also a study on the health status and demands of adult survivors is conducted among >4000 patients in 4 years period (2007 – 2011). Nearly 95% of mothers responded to the follow-up survey. Different types of parental stress/coping behaviors and parenting styles may differently predict their children’s status, and such associations may change as children grow.