Mediating role of family and workplace support on health-related quality of life among self-reported young adult cancer survivors: a cross-sectional observational study.

Abstract

Background: The influence of family and workplace support on different domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) remains unclear in optimizing psychosocial interventions to improve HRQOL for young adult cancer survivors. In this study, we aimed to clarify the mediating effects of family and workplace support on the association between cancer-related symptoms and each domain of HRQOL among young adults with a self-reported cancer diagnosis (self-reported young adult cancer survivors).

Methodology: This cross-sectional observational study used an online survey conducted in Japan in January 2022. The survey was designed to assess demographic and clinical characteristics, physical fatigue (using Physical Fatigue subscale of the Cancer Fatigue Scale), depression (using Kessler-6), cognitive impairments (using Cognitive Functioning subscale of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30), family support (using a subscale of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), workplace support (using a subscale of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire), and HRQOL (using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey). We conducted structural equation modeling (SEM) using data from 192 participants.

Results: Of the 192 participants, 78% were female, 60% had undergone surgery, and 67% were permanent workers. Notably, the mean scores in the social domain of HRQOL were significantly lower than the national standard values in the Japanese population aged 20-39 years. The indirect effects of workplace support were significant for the association of cancer-related symptoms with mental (β = -0.07) and social (β = -0.06) domains of HRQOL. Similarly, the indirect effects of family support were significant for the association of cancer-related symptoms with physical (β = -0.06) and social (β = -0.05) domains of HRQOL.

Conclusions: Family support mediated the association of cancer-related symptoms with physical and social QOL, whereas workplace support mediated the association of cancer-related symptoms with mental and social QOL. The social QOL among self-reported young adult cancer survivors was lower than that of the general Japanese population aged 20-39 years. Therefore, strategies targeting family and workplace support may be crucial for Japanese young adult cancer survivors in maintaining and improving their social QOL.