Online support groups for head and neck cancer and health-related quality of life
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Online support groups for head and neck cancer and healthrelated quality of life Eamar Algtewi1
•
Janine Owens1 • Sarah R. Baker1
Accepted: 8 April 2017 Ó The Author(s) 2017. This article is an open access publication
Abstract Purpose To investigate the association between using online support groups (OSGs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the psychosocial factors that may influence this association among individuals with head and neck (H&N) cancer. Method A sample of 199 persons with H&N cancer using four OSGs completed an online questionnaire using six prevalidated measures for social network, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression, adjustment, empowerment and quality of life. In addition, socio-demographic as well as illness-related and OSGs-related information was collected. Results Participants who had better HRQoL had been using OSGs for a longer time than those who had worse HRQoL (B = 0.07, p \ 0.05). Depression and adjustment were the only direct mediators in this association, whereas self-efficacy, anxiety and empowerment appeared as indirect mediators. Conclusion Participation in OSGs was found to be associated to better HRQoL either directly or indirectly through decreasing depression, anxiety and the negative adjustment behaviours and increasing self-efficacy and empowerment of the users. The study presented a potential model of pathways linking OSG use and HRQoL for those with H&N cancer. However, the model needs to be tested in future longitudinal studies and the associations proposed need to be explored in greater detail.
& Eamar Algtewi [email protected] 1
The Academic Unit of Dental Public Health, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, 19 Laremont Crescent, Sheffield S10 2TA, UK
Keywords Head and neck cancer Online support Quality of life Adjustment Empowerment
Introduction Head and neck (H&N) cancer includes malignant tumours arising from the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract from nasopharynx to larynx including the oral cavity, i.e. pharynx, lip and oral cavity and larynx [1]. This group of cancers is amongst the six most prevalent cancers in the world [2] and some of them are associated with high mortality rates [3]. Previous literature has suggested that H&N cancer can have a negative influence on quality of life (QoL) through negative physical and psychosocial impacts including swallowing difficulties, impaired speech, problems in physical appearance, anxiety, depression, fear of relapse and loss of self-esteem e.g. [4]. However, it has also been suggested that some factors may mitigate or aggravate the impact of cancer generally on a patient’s psychological wellbeing [4, 5]. For example, there are many strategies that people diagnosed with H&N cancer can employ which may influence health outcomes. One such strategy is coping. In general, higher levels of adaptive coping have been found to be related to better QoL of AIDS patients [6]. Other psychological factors such as anxiety and depression have also been widely linked to reduced levels o
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