Long-term health-related quality of life in bereaved siblings of children with cancer: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: Research on bereavement has mainly focused on risk factors linked to negative outcomes, while protective factors have been less evaluated.This study investigated the associations of resilience and perceived support from healthcare professionals with self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young adults who had lost a sibling to cancer 2-10 years earlier.Additionally, the study explored gender differences in HRQoL, resilience, and perceived social support from healthcare professionals.Methods: Of 99 young adults who experienced the loss of a sibling to cancer between 2009 and 2014, 36 participants (response rate = 36.4%)were included in this nationwide Norwegian study.We measured HRQoL (Young Adult Version of the Pediatric Quality of Life), resilience (Resilience Scale for Adolescents), and perceived social support from healthcare professionals during the sibling's illness, following the death, and during the past year.Results: Participants were aged 18-26 years at the time of the survey, with the loss occurring 2.5-10 years prior.We did not detect statistically significant gender differences in HRQoL, resilience, or perceived social support.Analysis showed that higher resilience and greater perceived social support during the past year were significantly associated with higher HRQoL among bereaved siblings (adjusted R 2 = 0.62; F(6, 35) = 14.7; p < 0.001).Conclusion: Young adults with higher resilience and stronger perceived social support during the past year reported better HRQoL 2-10 years after the loss of a sibling to cancer.These results underscore the need to enhance resilience and provide ongoing psychosocial care beyond early bereavement to promote long-term HRQoL among bereaved siblings.