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The experience of cancer survivors in community-based psycho-social support activities in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study

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Abstract

Purpose

Cancer survivors are often embroiled in various physical and psycho-social issues as a consequence of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Psycho-social support activities in the phase of rehabilitation were provided to enhance their quality of life. This study seeks to explore and understand their experience of engagement in Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club (SCRC).

Methods

Sixty-eight participants attended eight semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis framework was adopted for data analysis.

Results

The participants reported benefits such as psychological support, informational provision and tangible support in the activities. Public services were reported to have restored their dignity and enabled them to rediscover their own meaning of life. Participants also pointed out challenges on functioning and opportunity for development of SCRC.

Conclusions

The psycho-social support activities of SCRC had influenced cancer survivor’s life. Public health resources and supportive policies should be in place to support local self-help cancer rehabilitation groups.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club for supporting this study. We are very grateful to all cancer survivors who willingly and generously gave their time. This study was supported by grants from the National Social Science Foundation of China (Award Number 13CSH076) and Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning (Award Number 20134068).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Ji-Wei Wang, Tian-Rui Zhang, Qian Shen, Zhi-Qi Yang, Cong Liu, Si-Jia Chen & Jin-Ming Yu

  2. Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Jiang Li

  3. Shanghai Health Education Association, Shanghai, China

    Zheng-Nian Luo

  4. Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club, Shanghai, China

    Zheng-Ping Yuan

Authors
  1. Ji-Wei Wang
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  2. Tian-Rui Zhang
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  3. Qian Shen
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  5. Cong Liu
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  7. Jiang Li
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  10. Jin-Ming Yu
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Correspondence to Ji-Wei Wang.

Additional information

Ji-Wei Wang and Tian-Rui Zhang are both co-first authors for this article.

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Wang, JW., Zhang, TR., Shen, Q. et al. The experience of cancer survivors in community-based psycho-social support activities in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study. Qual Life Res 24, 2815–2822 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1021-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1021-8

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