Prevalence of functional disability among US cancer survivors: 2017-2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System results

Analysis of results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2017-2022) included 47,768 adult cancer survivors and 2,432,754 noncancer adults. The prevalence of mobility disability (27.9% versus 13.4%) and self-care disability (7.4% versus 3.8%) was higher among cancer survivors compared with noncancer adults. After multivariable adjustments, cancer survivors were more likely to report mobility (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.16-1.26) and self-care (1.19; 1.10-1.29) disability than noncancer adults. Prevalence of mobility (34.9% versus 26.3%) and self-care (9.8% versus 6.7%) was higher among cancer survivors who were receiving active cancer treatment than among those who had completed cancer treatment. Higher prevalence of functional disabilities was seen in survivors from racial/ethnic minorities and survivors with high BMI, low physical activity, lower levels of education and/or income, comorbidities, and those experiencing cancer- or treatment-related pain.