Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Relationship Between Illness Perception, Perceived Social Support, and Psychosocial Quality of Life in Adolescents and Young Adults Newly Diagnosed with Cancer: Outcomes from a BRIGHTLIGHT Study

Background/objectives: Social support can enhance psychosocial health-related quality of life (PSQOL) in adult cancer patients. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face unique psychosocial challenges that intersect with key developmental milestones. Theoretical models propose that illnes...

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Vydáno v:Cancers Ročník 17; číslo 12; s. 1918
Hlavní autoři: Wickramasinghe, Bethany, Fern, Lorna A., Taylor, Rachel M., Feltbower, Richard G.
Médium: Journal Article
Jazyk:angličtina
Vydáno: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.06.2025
MDPI
Témata:
Adolescents
Cancer
Cancer patients
Care and treatment
Diagnosis
Emotions
Health aspects
Patients
Perceptions
Psychological aspects
Quality of life
Social aspects
Social interactions
Social networks
Social support
Teenagers
Young adults
Youth
United Kingdom
United Kingdom > UK
England
BRIGHTLIGHT
social support
adolescent
young adult
cancer
psychosocial quality of life
illness perception
peer support
ISSN:2072-6694, 2072-6694
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Shrnutí:Background/objectives: Social support can enhance psychosocial health-related quality of life (PSQOL) in adult cancer patients. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face unique psychosocial challenges that intersect with key developmental milestones. Theoretical models propose that illness perceptions and social support are key determinants of coping strategies and long-term health outcomes in this context. These may be especially salient for AYAs, for whom peer relationships and identity formation are central. Methods: We explored how perceived social support and illness perceptions influence PSQOL over time in AYA cancer patients through a secondary analysis of the BRIGHTLIGHT longitudinal cohort study. Results: BRIGHTLIGHT followed 830 young people aged 13–24 across five time points (6–36 months post-diagnosis). Multi-level modelling revealed that PSQOL improved over time but remained consistently lower in females (mean: 69.62, 95% CI: 70.69 to −68.55). Greater perceived support from friends was associated with poorer PSQOL (β: −0.77, 95% CI: −1.007 to −0.54) and linked to negative illness perceptions, longer hospital stays (β: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00 to −0.02), longer diagnostic intervals (β: −0.009, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.00), and poorer clinical communication (β: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.01 to −1.03). A patient interpretation exercise with BRIGHTLIGHT’s Young Advisory Panel contextualized these findings. Conclusions: While peer support could promote normalcy, it could also intensify distress through emotional pressure or social isolation. Future research should address not only access to social support but its quality and relevance to AYAs’ unique psychosocial needs.
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SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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Collaborators of the BRIGHTLIGHT Study Group is provided in the Acknowledgments.
ISSN:2072-6694
2072-6694
DOI:10.3390/cancers17121918