TY - JOUR
T1 - Association Between Loneliness and the Frequency of Using Online Peer Support Groups Among Cancer Patients With Minor Children
T2 - A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Study
AU - Kosugi, Kazuhiro
AU - Nishiguchi, Yohei
AU - Miura, Tomofumi
AU - Fujisawa, Daisuke
AU - Kawaguchi, Takashi
AU - Izumi, Kayo
AU - Takehana, Jun
AU - Uehara, Yuko
AU - Usui, Yuko
AU - Terada, Tatsuto
AU - Inoue, Yujiro
AU - Natsume, Maika
AU - Yajima, Midori Yuki
AU - Watanabe, Yuki Sumazaki
AU - Okizaki, Ayumi
AU - Matsushima, Eisuke
AU - Matsumoto, Yoshihisa
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Takeda Science Foundation. The authors thank Ms. Masako Ikeda and Ms. Sachiko Nagatsuma of the National Cancer Center Hospital East for their secretarial support. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Ethical approval: This study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the National Cancer Center, Japan (approval number 2018–360). Data management and sharing: Due to the sensitive nature of the questions asked in this study, survey respondents were assured raw data would remain confidential and would not be shared.
Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Takeda Science Foundation . The authors thank Ms. Masako Ikeda and Ms. Sachiko Nagatsuma of the National Cancer Center Hospital East for their secretarial support. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Context: Cancer patients with minor children are increasing; however, they do not receive sufficient support. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between loneliness and the frequency of using online peer support groups among cancer patients with minor children. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from April to May 2019. Cancer patients with minor children were recruited from an online peer support group called “Cancer Parents.” Individuals diagnosed with cancer and whose youngest children were younger than 18 years were enrolled. Materials included: the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA-LS), K6 scale, abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale, and the sociodemographic/clinical characteristics questionnaire. Multivariate logistics regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with the high loneliness group (defined as those above the median score on the UCLA-LS). Results: A total of 334 patients participated (79.9% female; mean age 43.1 years, standard deviation 5.8). The most common primary cancer type was breast (34.1%). The median score of the UCLA-LS was 45 (interquartile range 37–53). The multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that the high loneliness group was significantly associated with the frequent use of online peer support group less than once a week (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.26–0.85; P = 0.012), with a smaller social network (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.73–0.83; P < 0.001), and higher psychological distress (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.09–1.23; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Frequent use of online peer support groups was associated with less loneliness among cancer patients with minor children.
AB - Context: Cancer patients with minor children are increasing; however, they do not receive sufficient support. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between loneliness and the frequency of using online peer support groups among cancer patients with minor children. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from April to May 2019. Cancer patients with minor children were recruited from an online peer support group called “Cancer Parents.” Individuals diagnosed with cancer and whose youngest children were younger than 18 years were enrolled. Materials included: the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA-LS), K6 scale, abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale, and the sociodemographic/clinical characteristics questionnaire. Multivariate logistics regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with the high loneliness group (defined as those above the median score on the UCLA-LS). Results: A total of 334 patients participated (79.9% female; mean age 43.1 years, standard deviation 5.8). The most common primary cancer type was breast (34.1%). The median score of the UCLA-LS was 45 (interquartile range 37–53). The multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that the high loneliness group was significantly associated with the frequent use of online peer support group less than once a week (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.26–0.85; P = 0.012), with a smaller social network (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.73–0.83; P < 0.001), and higher psychological distress (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.09–1.23; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Frequent use of online peer support groups was associated with less loneliness among cancer patients with minor children.
KW - cancer
KW - children
KW - internet
KW - loneliness
KW - peer support
KW - young adult
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85093696315&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.09.035
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.09.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 32998056
AN - SCOPUS:85093696315
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 61
SP - 955
EP - 962
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 5
ER -
