Abstract
Objectives: The primary aim of this paper was to examine the potential differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between middle-aged (45–64 years old) and older adult (65 years and older) cancer survivors utilizing the contextual model of health-related quality of life.
 Methods and Materials: The author conducted a secondary data analysis of the 2014 behavioral risk factor surveillance system cancer survivorship module survey. Only respondents age 45 and older were included, resulting in n = 5656.
 Results: Older adult cancer survivors reported significantly better physical and mental HRQOL than middle-aged cancer survivors. In regard to physical HRQOL, respondents who were older adults, employed, completed treatment, and exercised recently were more likely to report good physical HRQOL. Respondents with comorbid conditions and those with greater years since diagnosis were more likely to report poor HRQOL. In regard to mental HRQOL, respondents who were older, married, or had completed treatment were more likely to have good mental HRQOL. Respondents who were unemployed, had experienced financial cost as a barrier to care, had stroke or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or a history of depression were more likely to report poor mental HRQOL.
 Conclusion: Older adult cancer survivors experience better mental and physical HRQOL compared to their middle-aged counterparts. Efforts to improve HRQOL in cancer survivors should include middle-aged adults as well as cancer survivors who are unmarried, still in treatment, or have comorbidities. Greater research is needed to better understand how age differentially affects HRQOL in persons with a cancer history.
 This paper was published by Scientific Scholar and has been archived here.
Highlights
Cancer is primarily a disease of aging, with a majority of cancer diagnoses and deaths occurring in adults over the age of 65.[1]
Little is known about older adult cancer survivors’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and how this might compare with the HRQOL of cancer survivors who are in middle age (45–64 years old)
Middle-aged cancer survivors should be targeted in efforts to improve HRQOL
Summary
Cancer is primarily a disease of aging, with a majority of cancer diagnoses and deaths occurring in adults over the age of 65.[1] Today, 62% of cancer survivors in the U.S are age 65 years or older. In just 20 years, this proportion will climb to 73%, and older adult cancer survivors will number over 19 million.[2] This growth in the older adult cancer survivor population warrants further inquiry into the impact of cancer on older adults’ health outcomes. Vang: HRQOL of cancer survivors with sexual functioning; and those with colorectal cancer have reported struggling with bowel and urinary incontinence.[3,6,7] Cancer survivors report increased anxiety, depression, and intense fears about cancer recurrence.[5,8,9,10] These health challenges may be further exacerbated in older adults, who must contend with many age-related health problems, such as declines in sensory function, restrictions in physical mobility, and increases in chronic disease development.[11,12,13,14,15] Despite these reports, little is known about older adult cancer survivors’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and how this might compare with the HRQOL of cancer survivors who are in middle age (45–64 years old)
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