Health Effects of Cancer Survivorship and Other Chronic Illnesses
Open Access
- Author:
- Modi, Nishant Jayesh
- Area of Honors:
- Health Policy and Administration
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Pamela Farley Short, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Rhonda Be Lue, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Cancer Survivorship
Long-term Health
Chronic Illnesses
Burden of Cancer
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey - Abstract:
- Cancer survivors have poorer health outcomes than similar individuals without cancer across the same health measures. As the population of cancer survivors grows, increasing importance is placed on health surveillance, as well as interventions to improve long-term health outcomes. This study’s objective was to quantify the effects of cancer and other chronic illnesses (including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol) on health outcomes that speak to an individual’s physical and mental health. Health effects of other chronic illnesses put the burden of cancer on health into perspective. Health variables of interest included work limitations due to physical problems, need for assistive devices, and feeling depressed or downhearted. A sample of 25,226 individuals over the age of 18 was taken from the 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Marginal health effects were estimated for cancer survivorship, diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension with multivariate linear and logistic regressions. Compared to similar individuals without cancer, cancer survivors are more likely to have cognitive limitations, use of an assistive device, and pain that limits work, as well as work limitations due to mental problems (p < 0.05). The deficits in health outcomes provide support for further research on cancer survivorship in order to create interventions to improve long-term health of survivors.