We conducted a cross‐sectional survey study to determine which patients are at greatest risk for altering their care or lifestyle due to treatment‐related financial distress. Eligible patients were adults receiving cancer treatment enrolled between June 2010 and May 2011. We grouped coping strategies as lifestyle altering or care altering.
Full Answer
What are the coping strategies for cancer patients?
Let your health care team know what you'd prefer.Keep the lines of communication open. Maintain honest, two-way communication with your loved ones, doctors and others after your cancer diagnosis. ... Maintain a healthy lifestyle. ... Let friends and family help you. ... Review your goals and priorities. ... Fight stigmas.
How can cancer affect the life of a patient?
A cancer diagnosis can affect the emotional health of patients, families, and caregivers. Common feelings during this life-changing experience include anxiety, distress, and depression. Roles at home, school, and work can be affected. It's important to recognize these changes and get help when needed.
What changes might a person have who is undergoing cancer treatment?
Below are some of the side effects of cancer and its treatment that young adults and teenagers commonly have: Scars from surgery, or loss of a body part. Hair loss from radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Weight gain or weight loss.
How do you deal with emotional cancer?
Here are 7 tips to maintain or improve emotional well-being for cancer patients and caregivers:Talk to someone who is not a family member. ... Continue with daily activities, but modify if necessary. ... Plan ahead. ... Find support that works for you. ... Balance in-person and online support. ... Tap your community. ... Reach out.Sep 11, 2020
How does cancer affect you financially?
So a cancer diagnosis might create serious financial hardship. In fact, more than half of US cancer survivors say they have high medical costs, have stress from worrying about paying health bills, or have delayed medical care due to costs. Almost 33% say they have more than one of those problems.Dec 5, 2019
Can cancer treatment cause personality changes?
Chemotherapy can affect a person's mood, as can other medications such as steroids. It is important that you and your husband inform his doctor of changes in his mood to rule out any medical causes.
Can lifestyle changes prevent cancer?
Studies reported by the National Institutes of Health have found that at least 75 to 80 percent of cancers in the United States may be prevented by lifestyle changes.Mar 12, 2019
What are the effects of cancer treatments?
Cancer treatments and cancer can cause side effects....Side Effects of Cancer TreatmentAnemia.Appetite Loss.Bleeding and Bruising (Thrombocytopenia)Constipation.Delirium.Diarrhea.Edema (Swelling)Fatigue.More items...
What is the importance of a healthy lifestyle in cancer prevention?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that practicing a healthy lifestyle makes your risk of premature death from cancer 66% less likely. But it also makes a death from cardiovascular disease 65% less likely and death from other causes 57% less likely.
How do you give an emotional support to a cancer patient?
Caregiving: Providing Emotional SupportListen to your loved one. ... Do what works. ... Ask questions. ... Get information about support groups. ... Support your loved one's treatment decisions. ... Continue your support when treatment is over. ... Recommend an oncology social worker or counselor specially trained to offer advice. ... Sadness.More items...•Feb 14, 2022
How do you respond to someone who tells you they have cancer?
Here are some ideas:"I'm not sure what to say, but I want you to know I care"."I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this"."How are you doing?""If you would like to talk about it, I'm here"."Please let me know how I can help"."I'll keep you in my thoughts".Jun 1, 2021
How do you deal with a family struggling with cancer?
Here are some tips for being as supportive as possible when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer:Listen. ... Give advice only when you are asked. ... Educate yourself about cancer. ... Support your loved one's treatment decisions. ... Remember the caregiver. ... Stay connected. ... Keep things normal.More items...•Apr 28, 2020
Background
Cancer patients may experience financial distress as a side effect of their care. Little is known about which patients are at greatest risk for altering their care or lifestyle due to treatment-related financial distress.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional survey study to determine which patients are at greatest risk for altering their care or lifestyle due to treatment-related financial distress. Eligible patients were adults receiving cancer treatment enrolled between June 2010 and May 2011. We grouped coping strategies as lifestyle altering or care altering.
Results
Among 174 participants, 89% used at least one lifestyle-altering coping strategy, while 39% used a care-altering strategy. Care-altering coping strategies adopted by patients included the following: not filling a prescription (28%) and taking less medication than prescribed (23%).
Conclusions
As a means of coping with treatment-related financial distress, patients were more likely to use lifestyle-altering approaches, but more than one-third adopted potentially harmful care-altering strategies.