Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:01:0
Ayinde O. Chase - AHN Editor
Cleveland, OH, United States (AHN) - A recently published study finds older women who survived cancer had more health problems versus those who didn't.
Alan Townsend who studied who researched the women says, "There is a pressing need to study older cancer survivors." Townsend continues, "It is critical to disentangle the experiences that are unique to older cancer survivors from experiences that are common to aging individuals."
Researchers generally agree that as cancer survivors are living longer their health care is a growing concern, according to the researchers.
Researchers studied two groups- healthy women and those who had malignant cancers, most had breast or gynecological cancers. Both groups and similar incomes and were married. Overall the cancer survivors had more health problems than for the women without cancer. The survivors also reported higher levels of fatigue, physical limitations, more doctor visits and more days in bed for health reasons than the other group.
The study titled "Health and Well-Being in Older Married Female Cancer Survivors," can be found as a special supplement of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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