Self-reported health problems of young adults in clinical settings: Survivors of childhood cancer and healthy controls

Abstract

Purpose: Increasing numbers of childhood cancer survivors are being seen in primary care settings as young adults. It is unknown how their self-reported health problems differ from those of healthy young adults. Self-reported health problems of cancer survivors and healthy controls are compared in this study. Methods: 156 cancer survivors visiting a cancer survivorship program and 138 controls in primary care centers (mean age, 20 years) completed the Health Knowledge Inventory, a checklist of 35 health problems. Results: Cancer survivors reported significantly more health problems than healthy controls (5.6 vs 2.6 problems; P