The role of child abuse and age in vulnerability to emotional problems after surgery for breast cancer

Peter Salmon, Jonathan Hill, Rita Krespi, Louise Clark, Jean Fisher, Christopher Holcombe

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Emotional problems are common after breast cancer, but patients differ in their vulnerability. Childhood abuse is a risk factor for emotional problems in adult women, and we tested whether it explains some of the variability in emotional problems after breast cancer. Women with primary breast cancer (N = 355) 2-4 d after surgery (mastectomy or wide local excision) self-reported current emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, self-blame, bodily shame and recollections of childhood sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Multiple logistic regression analyses tested the relationship of each emotional problem to abuse, distinguishing three age-groups, divided at 50 and 65 years. Emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, self-blame and shame were present in 49%, 8%, 22% and 13% of women, respectively. Each problem was more common in women who recalled one or other form of abuse. Apart from emotional distress, emotional problems were less common in older women. Older women were also less likely to recall abuse, and recall of abuse contributed statistically to explaining the relationship of youth to emotional problems. Childhood abuse is a risk factor for emotional problems after surgical treatment for breast cancer, and the challenge of identifying and helping those patients in whom emotional problems reflect pre-morbid vulnerabilities needs careful consideration. Because both emotional problems and abuse are strongly age-linked, future research should avoid generalisations across the age spectrum. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2517-2523
    Number of pages6
    JournalEuropean Journal of Cancer
    Volume42
    Issue number15
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Oct 2006

    Keywords

    • Breast cancer
    • Child abuse
    • Emotional distress
    • Self-blame
    • Shame

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