Impact of caregivers' negative response to cancer on long-term survivors' quality of life.

Cancer survivors' quality of life (QoL) is consistently shown to be positively impacted by social support from family and friends, including informal caregivers. In contrast, a loved one's negative response to cancer can diminish survivors' QoL, and these negative responses can be more impactful than supportive behaviors. Nonetheless, negative caregiver response has not been extensively researched, and few studies have explored the potential interaction of negative caregiver response and perceived social support on survivors' QoL. Therefore, we examined direct effects of perceived negative caregiver response, and the potential moderating role of social support, on QoL in a population-based sample of cancer survivors (N = 7543) using generalized linear models. Findings indicate that survivors who rated their caregiver's response to their cancer diagnosis more negatively reported worse physical and mental health, even up to 10 years after their initial cancer diagnosis. Perceived social support was not significantly associated with physical health, but it was positively associated with mental health. However, social support was not shown to moderate the relationship between negative caregiver response and mental health. Findings suggest that positive support from others within a survivor's social network may not be enough to attenuate the negative effects of their primary caregiver's unsupportive behaviors. Accordingly, cancer survivorship research and practice must consider the critical role that negative caregiver responses have on survivors' QoL and develop strategies that focus on the survivor-caregiver dynamic.

Examining the Influence of Religious and Spiritual Beliefs on HPV Vaccine Uptake Among College Women.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is an effective mechanism to prevent HPV-associated cancers; however, uptake is low among women aged 18-26. Religiosity/spirituality is associated with sexual health decision-making. This study examined the role of religious/spiritual beliefs on HPV vaccination among college women (N = 307) using logistic regression and mediation analyses. Findings indicate that sexual activity is the main factor associated with HPV vaccination; and sexual activity fully mediates the relationship between religious/spiritual beliefs and HPV vaccination. Health promotion efforts should highlight the importance of HPV vaccination regardless of current sexual activity and may benefit from partnerships with religious/spiritual organizations.