LIFE CHANGES AND PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY YOUNG-ADULTS WITH CANCER

Forty-six young adult cancer patients aged 22 to 35 years were surveye d regarding life changes and specific problems they had experienced. T he majority of respondents were female, college educated, and married. Although nearly three-fourths of the respondents had completed treatm ent and were free of symptoms, they rated anxiety about their health a nd recurrence of their disease as their most stressful problems. Most were worried about their children's future and risk of cancer. Other c oncerns were physical and financial problems and changes in their life goals. The respondents' scores on the Brief Symptom Inventory showed a moderate elevation of psychological symptoms compared with test norm s. The authors concluded that young cancer patients, who have little e xperience with poor health and confrontation with mortality, may need more psychosocial intervention to deal with existential concerns regar ding themselves and their children.