Perceptions of Social Support Among Patients with Recently Diagnosed Breast, Endometrial, and Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

The role of social support in ameliorating the stressful effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment was explored in 357 women aged 20 to 54 with recently diagnosed breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancer. The women were drawn from the National Cancer Institute's population based Iowa Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry. During face-to-face interviews, the women were asked (1) what types of supportive persons were available (spouse, friends, relatives, children) and the level of support these persons had provided since the cancer had developed (social support network), (2) whether various socioemotional and instrumental tasks were beneficial (social support), and (3) whether they were experiencing marital difficulties or felt isolated or lonely (effects of stress). The results indicated that the husband was the most important member of the support network for married women and that relatives were the most important member for single women. Few women felt isolated or lonely or reported stress in their marriages because of the cancer. The most beneficial type of support activity was socioemotional: i.e., listening to or talking with the patient about the disease. Other beneficial social support behaviors were instrumental and varied according to marital status, age, and socioeconomic factors.