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Journal of Pediatric Psychology 29(5) pp. 397-402, 2004
Journal of Pediatric Psychology vol. 29 no. 5 © Society of Pediatric Psychology 2004; all rights reserved

Brief Report: Health Beliefs Among Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Kenneth P. Tercyak, PhD1, Marsha Nicolas, MA2, Tracy Councill, MA2, Sowmya Prahlad, MS2, Kathryn L. Taylor, PhD3 and Aziza T. Shad, MD4

1 Departments of Oncology and Pediatrics and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center; 2 Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center; 3 Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center; 4 Department of Pediatrics and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center

All correspondence should be sent to Kenneth P. Tercyak, Cancer Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 317, Washington, DC 20007-4104. E-mail: tercyakk{at}georgetown.edu

Objective To describe interest in cancer screening and tobacco-control procedures (nicotine-addiction susceptibility testing) among survivors of childhood cancer and to identify psychosocial modifying and readiness factors associated with survivors' interest, based on the children's health belief model. Methods Twenty-eight survivor–mother dyads were interviewed as part of a preliminary study (mean age of survivors = 15.4 years at time of interview, 10.1 years at time of diagnosis, and 12.0 years at end of treatment); interviews consisted of well-validated self-report items and measures of health beliefs. Results In sum, 57% and 61% of survivors were interested in screening and susceptibility testing, respectively. Survivors who rated themselves as more competent, more concerned about cancer, and more vulnerable to cancer were more interested in participating in screening. Regarding interest in nicotine-addiction susceptibility testing, survivors were more interested when they perceived greater vulnerability to the harm of smoking and when they had mothers who perceived themselves to be in better health. Conclusions Preliminary data suggest that psychosocial modifying and readiness factors are associated with survivors' interest in cancer screening and tobacco-control procedures and that additional research in this area is warranted.

Key words: pediatric cancer; cancer survivors; health beliefs; health behaviors; screening.


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