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Different pathways in social support and quality of life between Korean American and Korean breast and gynecological cancer survivors

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) how social support influences quality of life (QOL) and (2) whether or not the pathways for predicting QOL outcomes differ between Korean American and Korean survivors of breast and gynecological cancer.

Method

To identify multiple dimensions of health status and psychosocial outcomes, two standardized QOL and psychological distress measures were administered to 51 Korean Americans and 110 Koreans. Social support was measured by items assessing functional social support and social network structures. Hierarchical multiple regression and path analyses were employed to investigate the effects of social support on outcomes and to compare between Korean Americans and Koreans.

Results

The findings indicate that functional social support directly influences QOL and psychological distress, and social network structures are directly and/or indirectly associated with outcomes. Moreover, the two groups showed different pathways from social support to outcomes.

Conclusion

This study provides practical research information by illuminating the relationships between social support components influencing QOL for Korean American and Korean survivors. This study may increase the utility and efficacy of the research and interventions to enhance cancer survivors’ social participation and to diminish barriers to follow-up care, considering the different living conditions between the United States and Korea.

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Fig. 1

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Notes

  1. “Involvement” refers to an actor’s relative depth of involvement in social relations.

  2. Demographic and medical variables, which showed significant group differences, were considered as confounders.

  3. This model is similar to Fig. 1, but substitutes a “side effect” for the “years since diagnosis,” and the correlation between “years since diagnosis” and “financial impact” has been removed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education, Division of Population Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duart Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA

    Jung-won Lim

  2. University of Southern California School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0411, USA

    Brad Zebrack

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  1. Jung-won Lim
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  2. Brad Zebrack
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Correspondence to Jung-won Lim.

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Lim, Jw., Zebrack, B. Different pathways in social support and quality of life between Korean American and Korean breast and gynecological cancer survivors. Qual Life Res 17, 679–689 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9343-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9343-4

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