Association of parental cancer and school absenteeism, medical financial hardship, healthcare use, and psychological distress among minor children.

Abstract

6544 Background: A cancer diagnosis can affect the entire family, including minor children. However, little is known about the association of parental cancer on minor children’s school absenteeism, family’s financial ability to afford healthcare for children, as well as healthcare use, psychological distress, and behavioral problems. Methods: The 2015 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey was used to identify minor children (ages 5-17 years) whose parent(s) reported a cancer history (n = 695, representing 1.2 million children) and children whose parent did not report a cancer history (n = 19,122, representing 35.7 million children). Separate multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare school absenteeism, financial hardship, healthcare use, and psychological distress among children with and without parental cancer history. All analyses adjusted for children’s age group (5-11 years, 12-14 years, and 15-17 years), sex, family income as a percentage of the federal poverty line, marital status of their parents, survey year, and region. Results: Children of cancer survivors were more likely to receive annual well-child checkups, experience school absenteeism, take prescription medications for more than 3 months, visit hospital emergency rooms, suffer psychological distress, and have behavioral problems than children of parents without a cancer history (Table). Conclusions: Parental cancer history is associated with disruption in their minor children’s life. The associated psychological distress and physical and emotional health among these children may develop into more severe health issues in adulthood. Special attention to minor children of parents with a cancer history may be required to help prevent development of longer-term physical and mental health problems.[Table: see text]