Support for Young Adult Cancer Patients: Perspectives of Patients and their Mothers

The shift from adolescence to adulthood is marked by increased independence from parents. The purpose of this research is to describe types of beneficial support and concordance between young adult cancer patients/survivors and their parents. One-on-one phone interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed with constant comparison and linguistic methods. Fifteen patients and eight mothers participated. Support types most cited included informational, tangible, and emotional. The greatest difference between patients and mothers was in mention of emotional or tangible support. Continued attention to the role of parental support for young adult cancer patients is important for care.