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Medical Appointments are Associated With Same-Day Worry and Sleep Difficulties Among Cancer Survivors
Katharine E Daniel1, Amanda C Collins2,3, Kirsten L Greene4
1Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Psycho-Oncology
|June 28, 2026
Summary
Medical appointments increase worry and disrupt sleep for cancer survivors. Emotion suppression worsens sleep quality, especially for those in active treatment, highlighting the need for anxiety management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Impending medical appointments can worsen anxiety symptoms like worry and sleep disturbances in cancer survivors.
- These symptoms may hinder a cancer survivor's capacity to prepare for or process information during appointments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in worry and sleep before medical appointments in cancer patients undergoing active treatment or follow-up care.
- To investigate the association between coping strategies and fluctuations in worry and sleep around medical appointments.
Main Methods:
- 259 cancer survivors completed baseline, ecological momentary, and weekly surveys over 5 weeks.
- Multi-level models analyzed the impact of appointment day, treatment status, and coping strategies on daily worry and sleep.
Main Results:
- Participants reported increased worry on days with medical appointments, irrespective of coping strategies or treatment status.
- Emotion suppression correlated with poorer sleep quality before appointments.
- Reduced sleep duration was linked to emotion suppression, particularly in patients receiving active treatment.
Conclusions:
- Medical appointments are linked to worry and sleep issues in cancer survivors, with sleep effects varying by treatment stage and coping mechanisms.
- Cancer survivors could benefit from anxiety management interventions, focusing on adaptive coping strategies to mitigate appointment-related distress.
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