Journal Article

Youths experiencing parental death due to cancer

Potter, A. L., Schlueter, B.-S., Alexander, M. J., Yang, C.-F. J., Kiang, M. V.
JAMA Network Open, 8:7, 1–5 (2025)
Open Access
Reproducible

Abstract

The death of a parent from cancer is associated with increased risks of self-injury1 and short- and long-term adverse psychological outcomes among children. However, the number of children who lose 1 or more parents to cancer each year in the US is unknown. The objectives of this study were to estimate the number of youths (aged <18 years) who lose 1 or more parents to cancer overall and by race and ethnicity in the US and to assess changes in the incidence of parental cancer death from 1999 to 2020.

Keywords: USA, cancer, orphanhood
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