The influence of coping response and health-related quality of life on perceived social support during cancer treatment

Objective: In the biopsychosocial approach, perceived social support has served as a protective factor for psychological adjustment to cancer. This study aimed to determine the influence of different coping responses and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains on perceived social support during cancer treatment. Method: A cross-sectional analysis was carried out in a sample of 757 cancer outpatients. The Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) was employed to assess perceived social support. The Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) Scale measured coping response, and HRQoL was tested with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Multivariate analyses were carried out to examine the extent to which coping and HRQoL were associated with perceived social support. Results: Coping response explained only 2% of the variance in perceived social support, but Hopelessness had a significant influence on perceived social support (p <= 0.01). HRQoL, physical, and mental domains made a significant contribution toward perceived social support, accounting for around 10% of total variance. More than coping response, HRQoL's physical and mental domains had an important influence on perceived social support during cancer treatment. Significance of Results: The findings of the current study report the importance of HRQoL domains in predicting perceived social support during cancer treatment, emphasizing the holistic and multidisciplinary approach to facilitate adjustment to cancer.