Defining social support systems for women with breast cancer

Background Providers often assume that a patient relies on the same person for primary support (PS), as emergency contact, and as health care proxy. We questioned how often this is not the case in women with breast cancer. Methods We questioned women who were in treatment or follow-up evaluation after a cancer diagnosis who they would name as primary support, emergency contact, and health care proxy. Results One hundred thirty-five women with breast cancer participated and 75% were married or partnered. More than 40% of women did not name the same person to these distinct roles. Even for women in relationships, almost 50% did not name their partner to all 3 support roles. Conclusions A large proportion of breast cancer patients named different persons to these distinct support roles. By further defining the roles that social support networks play, we can identify strategies for including these support providers in the care models for women living with cancer.