Women with breast cancer may skip on post-surgery treatment because of child care concerns, according to a new study. Some mothers of young children were found to skip radiation therapy sessions because they were worried about who would take care of their children.

Around one in five women with kids under seven admitted to skipping radiation therapy, said study author Ya-Chen Tina Shih, an economist with the University of Chicago. "We were surprised because women in the younger age range have the longest life expectancy, so we expected to see a higher compliance rate among them," she said. But women were acting on what was most necessary in the short term, rather than examining their longterm health needs.

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The findings "suggest that providers, like hospitals, physician groups or health systems, could potentially help by providing assistance with child care," Dr. Nancy Keating, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School's Department of Health Care Policy in Boston said. [Reuters]