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Social support, coping strategies and sociodemographic factors in women with breast cancer

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Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between perceived social support and sociodemographic variables on coping strategies.

Methods

A prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in 404 women with resected, non-metastatic breast cancer. Participants completed questionnaires: perceived social support (MSPSS), coping strategies (Mini-MAC), and psychological distress (BSI-18).

Results

Sociodemographic factors as age, education, and partnership status were associated with coping strategies. As for maladaptive strategies, hopelessness was more frequent in older people and lower educational level; fatalism in older and single people, and cognitive avoidance was associated with lower educational level. Suppor t from family, friends, and partners was associated with a greater fighting spirit. In contrast, high psychological distress (anxiety and depression) was associated with greater use of maladaptive strategies.

Conclusion

Young people, a high level of education, having a partner, low psychological distress, and seeking social support were associated with the use of adaptive cancer coping strategies.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Priscilla Chase Duran for editing the manuscript; Natalia Cateriano, Miguel Vaquero, and IRICOM S.A. for supporting the registry website; SEOM Bioethics Section for promoting this study.

Funding

This study was supported by the FSEOM-Grant for research projects of working sections, SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology) 2018.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    C. Calderon & E. Ferreira

  2. University of Pais Vasco, Pais Vasco, Spain

    C. Calderon, D. Gomez, E. Ferreira & P. Jimenez-Fonseca

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, ISPA, Oviedo, Spain

    D. Gomez & P. Jimenez-Fonseca

  4. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, UMU, IMI, Murcia, Spain

    A. Carmona-Bayonas

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain

    R. Hernandez

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

    I. Ghanem & L. Ostios Garcia

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    M. Gil Raga

  8. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Quirónsalud Sagrado Corazón, Sevilla, Spain

    M. Garcia Carrasco

  9. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital San Pedro de Alcántara de Cáceres, Cáceres, Spain

    M. H. Lopez de Ceballos

Authors
  1. C. Calderon
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  2. D. Gomez
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  3. A. Carmona-Bayonas
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  4. R. Hernandez
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  5. I. Ghanem
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  6. M. Gil Raga
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  7. L. Ostios Garcia
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  8. M. Garcia Carrasco
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  9. M. H. Lopez de Ceballos
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  10. E. Ferreira
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  11. P. Jimenez-Fonseca
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Jimenez-Fonseca.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This is an academic study.

Ethical approval

This study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. It is an observational, non-interventional trial.

Informed consent

Signed informed consent was obtained from all patients.

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Appendix

Appendix

Annexed table. List of 15 centers.

  1. (1)

    Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo

  2. (2)

    Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia

    Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia

  3. (3)

    Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife

  4. (4)

    Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid

  5. (5)

    Hospital Quironsalud Sagrado Corazón de Sevilla, Sevilla

  6. (6)

    Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia

  7. (7)

    Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Orense, Orense

  8. (8)

    Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Madrid

  9. (9)

    Hospital San Pedro de Alcántara, Cáceres

  10. (10)

    Hospital Provincial de Castellón, Castellón

  11. (11)

    Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Elche

  12. (12)

    Hospital General Universitario Santa Lucia, Cartagena

  13. (13)

    Hospital General Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca

  14. (14)

    Hospital General de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real

  15. (15)

    Hospital San Pedro de Alcántara de Cáceres

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Calderon, C., Gomez, D., Carmona-Bayonas, A. et al. Social support, coping strategies and sociodemographic factors in women with breast cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 23, 1955–1960 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-021-02592-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-021-02592-y

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