The influence of parental cancer on the mental health of children and young adults: Evidence from Norwegian register data on healthcare consultations

OBJECTIVEThe aim was to examine how parental cancer affects the mental health of offspring aged 6-30, and age variations in this effect. METHODSIndividual fixed-effects models were estimated from register data covering the entire Norwegian population in 2010-2018.The outcome variable was whether the individual (offspring) had at least one consultation within a year with a general practitioner (GP) or specialist where a mental health diagnosis or symptom was reported. RESULTSThe consultation probability was higher after a parental cancer diagnosis than before (e.g., 15% higher in the first year after the diagnosis).This was to a large extent driven by subsequent parental deaths, but there was also a small post-diagnosis increase among offspring whose parent survived the observation period.The consultation probability increased by 83% the year a parent died among offspring who were 19-30 at that time, after a smaller increase over a few of the preceding years.A decline occurred later.The death seemed to have a weaker, but more lasting, effect on those who were 8-18 years old at the time of the death, and these did not experience a clear pre-death increase.