Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review
Background/Objectives: To identify and analyze what is known about the psychosocial factors affecting the wellbeing and sources of support of young adult (YA) cancer survivors. Methods: The search strategy included Neoplasms, young adults, psycho* or emotional well* or mental health. The OVID Medlin...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| author | Erica R. Timko Olson Anthony Olson Megan Driscoll Donna Z. Bliss |
| author_facet | Erica R. Timko Olson Anthony Olson Megan Driscoll Donna Z. Bliss |
| author_sort | Erica R. Timko Olson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: To identify and analyze what is known about the psychosocial factors affecting the wellbeing and sources of support of young adult (YA) cancer survivors. Methods: The search strategy included Neoplasms, young adults, psycho* or emotional well* or mental health. The OVID Medline and CINAHL databases were searched. Included were cancer survivors (YA) ages 18–39 at the time of the study. The studies included qualitative and quantitative designs, written in English, and published between January 2016 and October 2024. The results were recorded according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Results: Thirteen studies with 4992 participants found psychosocial factors to be the most important influence on life satisfaction with social support the most decisive factor. This expands the results of previous reviews by including a variety of study designs and data collection tools to provide a comprehensive understanding of the YA experience. Psychosocial concerns affecting wellbeing led to social isolation, low connectedness with family and friends, and significant distress. Consistent with previous reviews, the greatest challenges to wellbeing were psychosocial needs, which included seeking and delivering information that is easy to understand but detailed, which can decrease frustration and anger, and needs to be readily available and accessible. Unlike older adult cancer survivors, YA survivors are more likely to have reduced psychosocial functioning compared to their peers and suffer from higher distress than their adult peers and non-YA cancer survivors with anxiety as the most reported symptom. Conclusions: Interventions need to be developed that lessen the impact of a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatments. The specific needs of YAs must be further researched and evaluated to determine specific interventions and the support needed during this crucial stage of cancer survivorship. Future research must also increase the focus on the racial and ethnic diversity of participants as well as prioritizing underserved populations and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b4c2320ef2a544029017b6bc3fabbf64 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2039-439X 2039-4403 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nursing Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-b4c2320ef2a544029017b6bc3fabbf642025-08-20T02:56:57ZengMDPI AGNursing Reports2039-439X2039-44032024-12-011444006402110.3390/nursrep14040293Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping ReviewErica R. Timko Olson0Anthony Olson1Megan Driscoll2Donna Z. Bliss3School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USACollege of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN 56321, USASchool of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USASchool of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USABackground/Objectives: To identify and analyze what is known about the psychosocial factors affecting the wellbeing and sources of support of young adult (YA) cancer survivors. Methods: The search strategy included Neoplasms, young adults, psycho* or emotional well* or mental health. The OVID Medline and CINAHL databases were searched. Included were cancer survivors (YA) ages 18–39 at the time of the study. The studies included qualitative and quantitative designs, written in English, and published between January 2016 and October 2024. The results were recorded according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Results: Thirteen studies with 4992 participants found psychosocial factors to be the most important influence on life satisfaction with social support the most decisive factor. This expands the results of previous reviews by including a variety of study designs and data collection tools to provide a comprehensive understanding of the YA experience. Psychosocial concerns affecting wellbeing led to social isolation, low connectedness with family and friends, and significant distress. Consistent with previous reviews, the greatest challenges to wellbeing were psychosocial needs, which included seeking and delivering information that is easy to understand but detailed, which can decrease frustration and anger, and needs to be readily available and accessible. Unlike older adult cancer survivors, YA survivors are more likely to have reduced psychosocial functioning compared to their peers and suffer from higher distress than their adult peers and non-YA cancer survivors with anxiety as the most reported symptom. Conclusions: Interventions need to be developed that lessen the impact of a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatments. The specific needs of YAs must be further researched and evaluated to determine specific interventions and the support needed during this crucial stage of cancer survivorship. Future research must also increase the focus on the racial and ethnic diversity of participants as well as prioritizing underserved populations and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/293cancersurvivorshippsychosocialwellbeingyoung adultnursing |
| spellingShingle | Erica R. Timko Olson Anthony Olson Megan Driscoll Donna Z. Bliss Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review Nursing Reports cancer survivorship psychosocial wellbeing young adult nursing |
| title | Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review |
| title_full | Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review |
| title_short | Psychosocial Factors Affecting Wellbeing and Sources of Support of Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | psychosocial factors affecting wellbeing and sources of support of young adult cancer survivors a scoping review |
| topic | cancer survivorship psychosocial wellbeing young adult nursing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/293 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ericartimkoolson psychosocialfactorsaffectingwellbeingandsourcesofsupportofyoungadultcancersurvivorsascopingreview AT anthonyolson psychosocialfactorsaffectingwellbeingandsourcesofsupportofyoungadultcancersurvivorsascopingreview AT megandriscoll psychosocialfactorsaffectingwellbeingandsourcesofsupportofyoungadultcancersurvivorsascopingreview AT donnazbliss psychosocialfactorsaffectingwellbeingandsourcesofsupportofyoungadultcancersurvivorsascopingreview |