Factors that contribute to breast cancer survivorship: The role of perceived social support and sexual identity

More women than ever before survive breast cancer with 89% of those diagnosed becoming survivors (NCI, 2008). However, according to the National Cancer Institute (2008) some groups of women bear a greater burden of difficulty in survivorship. It is suggested that significant and important differences underpin the quality of women's breast cancer survivorship including age, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Of particular interest here, women who identify as lesbian experience a higher prevalence of breast cancer and little is known about the unique factors that impact their breast cancer survival as compared to heterosexually identified women. The long term process of breast cancer survivorship, beginning at the moment of diagnosis and lasting until the end of life (NCI, 2008) is influenced by a constellation of important factors. Psychosocial domains of survivorship such as quality of life, including spiritual, social and emotional well being, are among the most significant and the most in need of study for understanding their influence in breast cancer survivorship (Aaronson, et al., 1985; Cella, Tusky, 1990; Ferrel, Dow, 1997). The primary objective for this study was to investigate the role of sexual identity, perceived social support and socioeconomic status on breast cancer survivors: 1) emotional and physical well being, 2) perceived quality of life, 3) affect, and 4) depression. Structural equation modeling is used to develop a model predicting these outcomes for breast cancer survivors.