Relationships among hope, psychological well-being and health-related quality of life in childhood cancer survivors

J Health Psychol. 2021 Sep;26(10):1528-1537. doi: 10.1177/1359105319882742. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined the level of hope among Hong Kong childhood cancer survivors and investigated the relationships among hope, depressive symptoms, self-esteem and health-related quality of life. We recruited 176 survivors aged 10-16 years who underwent medical follow-ups at the outpatient clinic. This study revealed that lower levels of hope were associated with an increase in depressive symptoms and reductions in self-esteem and health-related quality of life. Our results contribute to novel findings by demonstrating that hope may be a significant factor associated with health-related quality of life. This understanding could increase healthcare professionals' awareness about the psychological needs of childhood cancer survivors.

Keywords: cancer; childhood cancer survivors; health-related quality of life; hope; psychological well-being.

MeSH terms

  • Cancer Survivors*
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms*
  • Quality of Life
  • Survivors