Changes in Physical and Cognitive Functioning among Cancer Survivors

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the proposed research is to examine the impact of a cancer diagnosis on physical and cognitive functioning among older cancer survivors based on longitudinal data from the NIA-funded Health and Retirement Study. Public use HRS data from ten waves (1992-2010) will be linked to restricted HRS cancer data to identify respondents newly diagnosed with cancer and to form cohorts by major types of cancer. Data on sociodemographics, co-morbidities, and health behaviors, will be used to assess differences in physical and cognitive functioning exhibited at subsequent time points among cancer survivors and compared to persons with no history of cancer, to help separate the effects of cancer from the normal effects of aging. These data will be linked to the HRS Medicare Claims and Summary Data (2007) to identify extent of disease and treatment modality(s). Multilevel modeling and logistic regression models will be used to examine change over time and the association between predictors and patterns of change. This research will test the hypothesis that the diagnosis of cancer has a significant negative effect on physical and cognitive functioning separate from the normal effects of aging. We hypothesize that the risk of adverse changes in physical and cognitive functioning after a cancer diagnosis is influenced by various treatment-related factors as well as by socioeconomic and health factors present before and/or after diagnosis. Insight gained from the proposed project will improve our understanding of the adverse physical and cognitive health outcomes following a cancer diagnosis in older adults and will inform interventions targeted at addressing both age-related and cancer-related consequences to improve the quality of life for long-term cancer survivors.