Psychosocial outcomes in long term survivors of childhood cancer in Hong Kong

Abstract

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychosocial outcomes in long-term survivors of childhood cancer in Hong Kong. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Childhood cancer survivors who had completed anti-cancer treatment in five paediatric oncology centers in Hong Kong for at least 5 years were recruited. They were individually interviewed by social worker from Hong Kong Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). RESULTS: Total of 733 childhood cancer survivors were recruited from 2007 to 2012 (male = 441; female = 292; age range: 5-39). There were 107 (14.6%) survivors identified of psychosocial problems. They were survivors of leukaemia = 45, lymphoma = 9, solid tumour = 30, brain tumour: 21, born tumour = 2. The psychosocial problems included study failure ? 35(5%); employment difficulty = 20(3%); emotional problem = 12(1.6%); interpersonal social skill problem = 9(1.2%); family relation problem = 4(0.5%); others = 27(3.6%). Specific services were further provided to these survivors by the CCF family service centre. Survivors were referred to study tuition class = 43(5.9%); vocation training or employment assisting program = 77(10.5%) and clinical psychologist counseling = 7(1%). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significant percentage of childhood cancer survivors in Hong Kong suffered from psychosocial problems. Study and employment failure were the most common problems. Specific supportive service should be provided to the long term survivors.