Cancer support groups – who joins and why?

Abstract

Tak Tent is a cancer support organisation consisting of 14 groups of which 11 are based in Scotland. In 1985, a survey was conducted among those attending the Scottish groups. 146 (79%) of the groups' members completed survey questionnaires. The results showed that Tak Tent's membership mainly comprised cancer patients (36%), relatives of patients (34%) and professionals involved in cancer care (21%). Women outnumbered men 3 to 1 and most of the membership belonged to social classes I, II or III. The groups appeared to be meeting their members' expectations of them to varying degrees. Respondents were satisfied that group membership had allowed them to make new friends, find out more about cancer and meet others facing similar difficulties. They were less certain that participation in a group had enabled them to learn how to cope better with cancer, share their problems with others or provide support for others to the extent they had anticipated.