Ethnic group differences exist in the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of prostate cancer (PC). African American men have the highest PC incidence, are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and are twice as likely to die of PC than are Non-Hispanic White men. Previous research has shown ethnic minority men report poorer general and health-related quality of life (QOL) prior to initiating PC-related treatment. However, little is known about psychosocial factors associated with pre-treatment levels of QOL. This study examined the relationship between perceived stress management skills (PSMS) and QOL in men recently diagnosed with PC who had not initiated treatment. Sixty-two men completed a baseline assessment prior to initiating PC-related treatment. Participants’ mean age was 61.77 (SD= 6.39) and had been diagnosed within the past 3 months. All were ethnic minorities (53% Hispanic and 47% African American/Black). Measures included the Measure of Current Status, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite to assess PSMS, general QOL, and disease-specific QOL, respectively. Several hierarchical regression models were tested to examine whether PSMS were positively related to QOL at baseline, controlling for relevant covariates (e.g., age and ethnicity). Results indicated that PSMS associated with better general and disease specific QOL and accounted for a significant amount of the variance (i.e., 14 to 20%) in several functioning and QOL domains (i.e., urinary functioning [R1,58)= 4.55, p<.04, β=.261], urinary incontinence [F(1,58)= 8.95, p<.01, β=.367], social/family well-being [R1,58)= 10.20, p<.01, β=.394], functional well-being [R1,58)= 8.08, p<.01, β=.355], and total well-being [F(1,58)= 13.75, p<.01, β=.447]. Results suggest that among ethnic minorities, greater perceived ability to manage stress at diagnosis is associated with several indices of QOL. Future studies should investigate the extent to which PSMS may impact adjustment and recovery following treatment and whether psychosocial interventions targeting such skills are effective in improving QOL in this population.

Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A71.