Families of long-term cancer survivors: health maintenance advocacy and practice

Abstract

Research on cancer and aging has addressed health maintenance issues for older adults in long-term cancer survivorship, but not their family members. The current study focused on two aspects of health maintenance for families: advocacy and practice. Regression analyses explored the effects of demographic characteristics and perceptions during diagnoses and treatments on family members' health maintenance in long-term survivorship. Family members were acting as health maintenance advocates for their surviving relatives. Advocacy was related to being a caregiver during diagnosis and treatment. In terms of their own health, family members were practicing a high number of health maintenance activities. Practice was associated with being a caregiver during diagnosis and treatment and with being older and White. Implications for interventions and future research with family members are discussed.