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The Impact of Ethnicity, Language, and Anxiety on Quality of Life in Children with Cancer

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Abstract

Undergoing cancer treatment significantly impacts quality of life (QOL). This study evaluated the role of anxiety, ethnicity, and language on QOL in children with a cancer diagnosis. Participants included 156 parent–child dyads in 3 groups: English-speaking Hispanic, Spanish-speaking Hispanic, and English-speaking non-Hispanic White. Parents completed measures of self-reported anxiety and their children’s perceived QOL. Children completed self-reported measures of anxiety and QOL. Families in which parents primarily spoke English reported higher parent-reported generic-module QOL (p = 0.0062), higher parent-reported cancer-specific QOL (p = 0.004), lower parent trait anxiety (p = 0.0005)), and lower child trait anxiety (p = 0.013), compared to families in which parents primarily spoke Spanish. Regression analyses were strongly supportive of a mediational role of parent trait anxiety in the association of ethnicity/language and parent-reported QOL. The results of this study suggest that children of Spanish-speaking parents may be at greater risk of decreased quality of life, as a function of increased parental anxiety.

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Conflict of Interest and Source of Funding

No conflict of interest by any author.

Parts of this study were funded by the American Pain Society (APS-47623) and the American Cancer Society (IRG – 98-279-07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California-Irvine, 505 S. Main St., Suite 940, Orange, CA, 92868, USA

    Aditi Wahi & Michelle A. Fortier

  2. Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, 505 S. Main St., Suite 940, Orange, CA, 92868, USA

    Michael Phelan

  3. Jonathan Jacques Children’s Cancer Center, Miller Children’s Hospital, Long Beach, CA, USA

    Sandra Sherman-Bien

  4. Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California-Irvine, 505 S. Main St., Suite 940, Orange, CA, 92868, USA

    Leonard S. Sender

  5. UCI Center on Stress & Health, School of Medicine, University of California-Irvine, 505 S. Main St., Suite 940, Orange, CA, 92868, USA

    Michelle A. Fortier

  6. Department of Pediatric Psychology, CHOC Children’s Hospital, Orange, CA, USA

    Michelle A. Fortier

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  1. Aditi Wahi
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  2. Michael Phelan
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Correspondence to Michelle A. Fortier.

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Wahi, A., Phelan, M., Sherman-Bien, S. et al. The Impact of Ethnicity, Language, and Anxiety on Quality of Life in Children with Cancer. Applied Research Quality Life 11, 817–836 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-015-9399-6

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