Nonsupport Experiences of Young Adult Cancer Patients: Prevalence, Acceptability, and Outcomes of Not Receiving Support

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ABSTRACT This study provides foundational data regarding instances of nonsupport (i.e. instances when support was expected from someone but not received) in the cancer context. In a sample of 205 young adult cancer patients from 22 countries, approximately three out of every five patients reported having experienced nonsupport at some point during their cancer journey. Men and women patients were approximately equally as likely to have experienced nonsupport and were approximately equally likely to be recalled by a cancer patient as a nonsupporter. Results showed that patients who had experienced nonsupport reported worse mental and physical health, greater depression, and greater loneliness than those who had not experienced an instance of nonsupport. Patients were also presented with a previously published list of 16 reasons why people choose to forgo communicating support to cancer patients, and patients rated each reason’s acceptability. Nonsupport reasons that assumed communicating support would create a burden for the patient (e.g. providing support would create a privacy issue; the supporter feared losing control of their own emotions) were rated as more acceptable. Reasons involving the nonsupporter making assumptions or decisions about the broader social support process were seen as less acceptable (e.g. communicating support does not help; assuming support is not desired). Together, these results demonstrate the prevalence and impact of nonsupport on cancer patients’ health outcomes and provide justification for nonsupport as an important avenue for future social support research.