Exploring social networks of cancer survivors in self-management
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the influence of social networks and their potential to enhance supported self-management for cancer survivors.
IRAS ID
169529
Contact name
Gillian Howard-Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
People finishing treatment for cancer can have long term physical, psychological and social problems. As the numbers of cancer survivors increase, hospital healthcare staff find it challenging to support the long term health and wellbeing needs of survivors. Supported self-care is a new way for people with long term conditions to look after themselves at home with help from healthcare staff and is beginning to be used to support cancer survivors. It has been found that some people, such as those in low social and economic groups, do not take part in this type of support and that additional care models need to be developed. Social networks, the social relationships people have and the information they get from them, are known to have a powerful influence over the health choices people make. Enlisting help of social networks could offer an additional way to enable cancer survivors to self-care, particularly those in vulnerable social groups.
This research, funded by the National Institute of Health Research, aims to explore the influence of social networks to support cancer survivors in their self-care. The study will look at which, how and when social contacts help cancer survivors and the influence this could have on their health and wellbeing.
The study has a mixed methods design and will invite people from 5 NHS hospitals who have had primary treatment for bowel, breast, prostate and lymphoma cancer. The first part of the research will be a self-completion survey. People taking part in the survey will be invited to an hour long interview, to gain a personal view of their social networks. Those interviewed will be purposefully sampled to ensure representation of disease, age and those in low social and economic groups. The study will last 2 months from receipt of the research invitation to the interview.REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EE/0137
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion