Characteristics of adolescent cancer survivors who pursue postsecondary education

This study aimed to identify differences between adolescent cancer survivors who participate in postsecondary education and those who do not, as well as factors that helped these survivors to cope. American College Testing records for 129,824 adolescents were meshed with Iowa's Cancer Registry to identify Iowans who had received a diagnosis of cancer between the ages of 12 and 17 years. The potential subject pool contained 85 persons. A questionnaire was sent to the 28 persons who agreed to participate in the study, and 75% responded. Most of the respondents were girls with normal levels of physical function. Measures of adjustment and mood state indicated low distress levels. Fatigue was their area of highest distress. All the respondents were enrolled in education programs or had graduated. Help from family, friends, and teachers was seen as supportive, but lack of knowledge about their disease was cited most frequently by this same group as interfering with their coping. The respondents demonstrated more discipline, stamina, and commitment than was expected. However, the accrual protocol and respondents' comments revealed a stigmatization of patients with cancer by professional health workers, indicating a need to confront the value that health professionals place on this stigmatized population and health professionals' contribution to this societal posture.