The Gerontologist Advance Access originally published online on May 22, 2009
The Gerontologist 2009 49(4):549-559; doi:10.1093/geront/gnp048
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Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America 2009.
Changes in Female Support Network Systems and Adaptation After Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Differences Between Older and Younger Patients
2 Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
3 Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
4 Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
1 Address correspondence to Sato Ashida, PhD, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, 31 Center Drive, B1B37C, Bethesda, MD 20892-2073. E-mail: ashidas{at}mail.nih.gov
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Abstract |
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Purpose: This study evaluates the changes in social networks of older and younger breast cancer patients over a 6-month period following their first diagnosis and how such modifications are associated with changes in the patients’ mood state. Design and Methods: Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were interviewed shortly after their diagnosis and again 6 months later. Female support network members enumerated by patients were interviewed once within 3 months of the patients’ initial interview. Results: Findings based on information for 149 network members of 26 patients indicate that members in older (
51 years) patients’ networks were less likely to be dropped at follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 0.21, p = .04) compared with those in younger patients’ networks. Network members who provided more support were less likely to be dropped by younger patients (OR = 0.42, p < .01). Decrease in network size was associated with decrease in mood disturbances among younger patients (Profile of Mood State–Bipolar: β = 0. 35, p 
.01). Implications: Reducing the number of network members after cancer diagnosis may not necessarily lead to psychological distress, providing support for self-regulation of social network resources among cancer patients. Older patients’ network members were more embedded in patients’ networks, making it more stable over time. Identifying important network members (e.g., frequent support providers for younger patients and family members for older patients) and facilitating positive social interactions between these network members and patients may be beneficial.
Keywords: Social relationships, Social support, Cancer survivor, Social selectivity, Psychological adaptation
Received August 20, 2008; Accepted November 11, 2008