Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer place significant stress on survivors, their partners, and their relationships. A recent study from researchers at the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University (IU)’s Schools of Nursing, Science, and Medicine is one of the first to examine the impact of relationship satisfaction and agreement between breast cancer survivors and their partners on survivors’ emotional and physical health.1
The study found that satisfaction with the relationship by both breast cancer survivors and their partners and agreement between the two were related to survivors’ better physical functioning and reduced survivor depression and fatigue. Conversely, less satisfaction with the partner relationship by breast cancer survivors and lack of agreement with their partners were both significantly associated with poor emotional and physical outcomes for the survivors, including depression and fatigue.
Eric A. Vachon, PhD, RN
“How the breast cancer survivor and partner communicated and handled stressful events, particularly those related to breast cancer, were linked to emotional and physical health for the survivor, with better agreement related to better outcomes,” said corresponding author Eric A. Vachon, PhD, RN, of Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Nursing. “Interestingly, breast cancer survivors who rated their relationship satisfaction as high did not necessarily have better agreement with their partner or better well-being than those survivors who viewed their relationship less positively. It’s the communication and relationship between the survivor and partner that are determinant.”
Study Findings
A total of 387 women (220 breast cancer survivors, on average 6 years out from the time of diagnosis, and 167 controls without previous cancer diagnosis) and 387 partners (all male, although both male and female partners were eligible to participate in the study) completed questionnaires on their relationship. The average age of study participants was mid-40s.
Here are highlights of the study’s findings:
- Breast cancer survivors’ satisfaction with the relationship with their partner was significantly associated with physical functioning, attention function, and sleep quality.
- Not all breast cancer survivors or controls who indicated high relationship satisfaction agreed with their partners.
- Agreement with their partner was not associated with worse physical functioning, worse attention function, or poorer sleep quality.
- After facotring in the perspective of the partner, there was less agreement on the quality and satisfaction of their relationship for survivors than for control pairs.
“This work points to the critical importance of both members of the couple focusing on strengthening the relationship. Difficulties among couples can have devastating effects for your physical and emotional health. For clinicians, making sure that based upon the preferences of the breast cancer survivor, partners are involved in discussions, treatment, and overall care is vital to the short-term and long-term health of patients,” the study authors concluded.
DISCLOSURE: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
REFERENCE
1. Vachon EA, et al: The association between relationship satisfaction concordance and breast cancer survivors’ physical and psychosocial well-being. Healthcare 12:134, 2024.
