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Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and risk factors, quality of life, and health behaviors of cancer survivors and their spouses: findings from MEPS

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Abstract

Purpose

Few population-based studies have examined the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors, quality of life (QOL), and health behaviors of cancer survivors and their spouses. This case-control study aimed to fill this gap using the data from a set of large-scale surveys of individuals and families across the USA.

Methods

Data were obtained from the 2010–2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Using one-to-many (1:5) propensity score matching, we identified cancer survivors (N = 1037) and noncancer-matched controls (N = 5185), as well as survivor spouses (N = 1038) and matched controls (N = 5190). We used weighted multivariable logistic and linear regressions to examine the categorical and numerical outcomes.

Results

Compared with noncancer controls, survivors have higher rates of stroke (p < .05), hypertension (p < .05), high cholesterol (p < .01), fair or poor health (p < .0001), and report self-reported worse physical QOL scores (PCS) (p < .0001). A higher percentage of survivors report receiving BP checks (p < .01), serum cholesterol assessments (p < .001), routine physical checkups (p < .01), blood stool tests (p < .05), colonoscopies (p < .0001), and flu vaccinations (p < .05). Survivor spouses, compared to their respective matched controls, reported higher rates of serum cholesterol testing (p < .001), routine physical checkups (p < .01), and flu vaccinations (p < .01).

Conclusions

Compared to the general population, cancer survivors are at higher risk for CVD, report worse physical QOL, and, along with their spouses, more frequently receive certain preventive health care services.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

There is a need for intervention to more fully engage cancer survivors and spouses in lifestyle behavior change associated with decreased CVD and related risk factors and improved QOL.

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Funding

The project is sponsored by the University Cancer Research Fund, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (PI: Song).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrington Hall, S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7460, USA

    Lixin Song

  2. Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 450 West Drive N.C, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Lixin Song & Xianming Tan

  3. School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, 325 Pittsboro Street #3550, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Ting Guan

  4. Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Peiran Guo & Xianming Tan

  5. School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 321 S Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Thomas C. Keyserling

  6. Durham Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, VA Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC, 27705, USA

    Courtney Van Houtven

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  1. Lixin Song
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  2. Ting Guan
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Correspondence to Lixin Song.

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This study involved secondary database analysis of a publicly available database, and hence, formal consent is not required.

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Song, L., Guan, T., Guo, P. et al. Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and risk factors, quality of life, and health behaviors of cancer survivors and their spouses: findings from MEPS. J Cancer Surviv 13, 739–748 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-00792-8

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