Work, school buffer post-traumatic stress for young cancer patients

ANN ARBOR-Young adults with cancer should try to stay occupied with school, work and other activities during the year after their diagnosis to become less vulnerable to post-traumatic stress symptoms, say University of Michigan researchers. A U-M study of 215 adolescents and young adults addresses the struggles of coping with life-threatening illness and treatment. At six and 12 months, respectively, 39 percent and 44 percent reported moderate to severe levels of psychological distress. Few studies have examined the prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress symptoms in young adults. Lead author Minyoung Kwak and principal investigator Brad Zebrack of the School of Social Work assessed post-traumatic stress symptoms among respondents ages 15 to 39 at six and 12 months following their cancer diagnosis. The study's participants answered questions about their background, the frequency of the symptoms and severity. Kwak, a recent graduate of the U-M School of Social Work's Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science, noted the elevated levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms among young cancer patients occurred during the first six months post-diagnosis, but did not change significantly six months later.