Download Couples dealing with breast cancer. A population

Couples dealing with breast cancer. A population-based cohort
study
PhD student, psychologist Nina Rottmann
Purpose: This study seeks to provide evidence that will enable health professionals to
integrate the patients’ intimate relationship as a resource and the partners’ needs and
problems in cancer treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation.
Background: A diagnosis of breast cancer may affect both the patient and her partner.
Partners often take an active role in key decisions concerning treatment and provide
support to the patient. Depressed mood, low quality of life and physical symptoms are
some of the psychosocial adjustment problems patients and partners may experience
following breast-cancer related changes in their roles and everyday life. Breast cancer also
has an impact on the couple’s shared life and challenges their relationship. Patient and
partner engage in joint efforts to deal with the cancer experience. These dyadic coping
processes are likely to contribute to their psychosocial adjustment. Therefore more
knowledge is needed from large, longitudinal studies on how couples adjust to breast
cancer and how partners should be involved in treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation.
Research questions: The following questions will be examined amongst others: Which
psychosocial adjustment problems do patients and partners experience throughout the
cancer trajectory? To what extent do the patient’s psychosocial adjustment problems
influence the partner’s psychosocial adjustment problems and vice versa? Which dyadic
coping patterns are beneficial? What characterizes couples at risk for developing
psychosocial problems or rehabilitation needs? How and when should the partner be
involved in future treatment and rehabilitation for cancer?
Methods: The nationwide study follows couples throughout the breast cancer trajectory.
Within the one-year inclusion period, 2256 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer
and their partners were invited to participate. A total of 793 couples chose to participate.
Following diagnosis and after 5 and 12 further months both patients and partners filled out
questionnaires on individual wellbeing and relationship aspects. Sociodemographic and
clinical information are accessed through nationwide registries.
The study results can be used to describe when involvement of the partner in treatment
and rehabilitation benefits patient and partner and when it could conversely be harmful.