The Relationship between Social Support and Quality of Life: Evidence from a Prospective Study in Chinese Patients with Esophageal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND We aimed to evaluate the levels of social support in patients with postoperative esophageal carcinoma and potential effect of social support on generic and EC-specific quality of life. METHODS Overall, 803 Chinese patients with EC were recruited in the high-incidence region- Linzhou in Henan, China for the observation study. We obtained data on European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), disease-specific score of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-OES18 (The QLQ-OES18), and social support evaluation score at home visits by a specially trained research team. RESULTS Aging and low education were negatively predicted total social support scores. A significant correlation (P = 0.000, 9 = 0.000) was found between QOL physical function and either the subjective or the objective dimensions in social supportive system. OES18 eating difficulty was significantly associated with objective support including family intimacy, friendship and community support (P = 0.016, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The social support team should endorse quality care as integrating community-care management in post-esophagus recovery and meet the need of individual health quality of life. The elders, educational levels and rural farmers are significant to challenge the social supportive delivery in the current model of esophagus cancer care.