A new study finds that many cancer patients would prefer to receive information over emotional aid from support groups, although – over time – their needs could change. Although clinicians and others frequently advise cancer patients to join support groups to deal with the psychological consequences of their diagnosis, a minority of cancer patients actually joins.
“There's a good deal of research about what kinds of groups are helpful for cancer patients, but less information about what they themselves are looking for,” said Allen Sherman, Ph.D., lead author of a new study of 425 patients diagnosed with a variety of cancers.
Sixty-five percent of those surveyed said they would be interested in attending a group. Although Sherman said that this “doesn't mean they would necessarily vote with their feet,” he did say, “It was higher than we expected to find.” Sherman is director of the Behavioral Medicine Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Most study participants wanted practical medical information about cancer delivered immediately after diagnosis or during treatment. About twice as many prioritized medical information (38 percent) over emotional support (20 percent) and 30 percent wanted a focus on wellness and health promotion.
Eighty-two percent wanted groups to include discussion of spiritual issues; however, Sherman said that his subjects came overwhelmingly from the Bible Belt, so this finding might not apply to cancer patients in other parts of the country.
The study appears in the September-October issue of the journal, Psychosomatics .
Although recent data suggest that such groups do not increase survival time, they do improve coping skills and mood.
Other studies have shown that once people begin to participate in groups, their preferences shift. New members tend to seek medical information, but established members most value the emotional support and sense of community.