Studies show that being married could significantly reduce the likelihood of dying of cancer. The journal of clinical oncology recently published a study of 700,000 subjects who were diagnosed with the worst and deadliest types of cancer in the world. The research found that there was a 20% decrease indeaths amongst the group of patients who were married as opposed to patients who were unmarried. A direct link was never found to prove that being married reduces the likelihood of cancer deaths, but an association was made between marital status and cancer survival rates. This may be due to the social support a person receives from his or her spouse. If a wife is constantly prodding her husband about going to get a colonoscopy, chances are, he will. In turn, if the husband gets annoyed with her nagging and starts bothering her about getting a mammogram, she will probably end up getting her screening done as well. 17% of patients who lived by themselves were more likely to have their cancer spread beyond its original state and 53% were more likely to receive inadequate treatment. It’s also beneficial to have a partner present during the appointments to keep track of what the oncologist is saying since many patients tend to become overwhelmed with the information. On top of medical care and help with the appointments, a person with a spouse is more likely to be loved, encouraged and taken care of at home, and that may be one of the best things that can be done in this situation.
I think the statistics presented in this article are amazing. I find it both encouraging and frightening that one’s health and well-being correlate to one’s social interactions. This is encouraging for those who are in a loving relationship or have strong support networks with family and friends, but this is somewhat discouraging for those who don’t have such resources. The statistical data presented in this article certainly shows how caring relationships tend to have a positive impact on cancer patients, and I feel this information needs to be more widespread. If the correlation between loving relationships and a decrease in cancer came to be common knowledge, associations such as the American Cancer Society might place more emphasis on developing relationships between family, friends, and loved ones. While I’m sure such organizations already have support programs in place, this data could be the push needed to make these programs more available. If access to support groups, therapy sessions, or accountability groups increased, more people could be brought together to love and support one another and help each other fight the battle against cancer.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting study to read about. I agree with the article that perhaps the decrease in deaths among married cancer patients may not be due to their marriage per se, but more likely due to the fact that their marriage allows for a readily available social support system. I would like to see if the effects of a good social support system would work as strongly with not just married individuals, but also people with strong family relationships or strong friend relationships. I think that this study is just a testament to the amazing effect that psychology has, especially on a person's health. Like Savannah said, I believe that information needs to more publicly acknowledged. If more people know the what the strength of having a friend, family member, or spouse could do, there would be more healthy and happy people everywhere.
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