Background: Little work has examined how coping efficacy and lung cancer-related social isolation relate to social well-being in the context of a patient's computed tomography (CT) scan. Researchers tested the cross-sectional relationship of social isolation and social well-being, and the longitudinal relationship between coping efficacy and social well-being before CT scans.
Method: 25 patients with lung cancer, within 6 months of their upcoming CT scan, participated. Baseline surveys collected clinical information, demographics, and social isolation; repeated monthly surveys collected coping efficacy and social well-being every 30 days until one's scan.
Results: [Cross-sectional] High levels of social isolation were associated with low levels of social well-being. [Longitudinal] On months patients reported high coping efficacy, they also reported increases in social well-being.
Conclusions: Social interventions may improve well-being among those with lung cancer as our work shows that getting and receiving support are strongly related to well-being in the time surrounding a scan.
Keywords: Coping Efficacy; Lung Cancer; Social Isolation; Social Well-Being.
© 2024. The Author(s).