The impact of clinically relevant health conditions on psychosocial outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer: results of the DCCSS-LATER study

Purpose Investigate the association between presence, number and type of clinically relevant health conditions and a range of psychosocial outcomes (emotional, social, cognitive, physical) in survivors of childhood cancer (CCS). Methods CCS from the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (DCCSS)-LATER cohort (diagnosed between 1963-2001, attained age >= 18, diagnosed < 18, >= 5 years since diagnosis) completed a questionnaire on health conditions (2013-2014), and questionnaires on psychosocial outcomes (2017-2020): Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Short form 36, TNO-AZL Questionnaire for Adult Health-Related Quality of Life, and the Self-Rating Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Associations among health conditions and psychosocial outcomes were assessed with regression analysis, adjusting for attained age, sex, and time since diagnosis, and adjusting for multiple testing (p < 0.004). Results A total of 1437 CCS, mean age 36.3 years, 51.1% female, >= 15 years since diagnosis, completed questionnaires on health and psychosocial outcomes. CCS with a clinically relevant health condition, and those with more conditions had worse emotional, social, and physical outcomes; regression coefficients were small to moderate. CCS with gastro-intestinal conditions, endocrine, nervous systems, eye, or ear conditions, and especially those with secondary malignant neoplasms, reported worse psychosocial functioning; regression coefficients were small/moderate to large. Conclusion and implications Health care professionals should be aware of the increased risk for psychosocial problems among CCS with health conditions, especially for survivors with secondary malignant neoplasms, gastro-intestinal, endocrine, nervous system, eye, and ear conditions. CCS may benefit from psychological interventions to develop coping strategies to manage health conditions and psychosocial consequences of the cancer trajectory.