Exploring the Relationships between Posttraumatic Growth, Wisdom, and Quality of Life in Older Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Objective: The number of older cancer survivors is steadily rising with a growing aging population, and a great<br />interest in evaluating the quality of life is emerged. Although understanding how to improve the quality of life in<br />older cancer survivors is critical as the number of older survivors continues to grow in communities, little is known<br />about empirical evidence regarding predictors of the quality of life in older cancer survivors. This study aimed to<br />examine relationships between posttraumatic growth, wisdom, and quality of life in older cancer survivors. Methods:<br />A convenience sample of older cancer survivors after completing cancer treatments (n=121) participated from one<br />public health center, and they filled out self-report questionnaires on measures of posttraumatic growth, wisdom, and<br />quality of life. Results: As results of multiple regression analysis, the most significant factor on each domain of the<br />quality of life has shown that higher levels of subjective economic status were associated with significant improvement of<br />four domains of quality of life, and wisdom and posttraumatic growth were associated with significant improvement in<br />social/family well-being. Conclusion: This study highlights predictors of each domain of quality of life that subjective<br />economic status, posttraumatic growth and wisdom significantly affected the quality of life in older cancer survivors.<br />Findings indicate that psychological interventions need to be developed and implemented for older cancer survivors<br />to prevent long-term effects of cancer and to increase their quality of life. For improving their quality of life, primary<br />care providers or community health professionals need to develop tailored interventions, such as home-based cancer<br />survivorship programs.