Social class and cancer care behavior: The influence of social network position

Background: Social networks are thought to be an important dimension of individuals' abilities to translate social class into health advantage. Social network position may lead to some individuals gaining access to cutting edge medical technologies, leading specialists and health innovations, while other patients do not. However, we have an incomplete understanding of how social networks influence health care behavior after a cancer diagnosis. Method: Data come from an IRB-approved mixed-methods study of 76 parents of pediatric cancer patients. Patients were sampled through an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Northeast US. Egocentric network maps were created for each respondent. Interview data was used to code the nature of the dyadic relationship between each respondent (ego) and the individual members of their network (alters). Each dyadic relationship was coded according to three qualities: the nature of the social relation (i.e. mother, co-worker), the nature of their interactions (talked to, helped) and flows (information, resources). Results: Social networks impacted health care behavior through social influence processes (i.e. members of social networks adopting similar patterns of behavior) as well as leveraging processes (i.e. respondents using a network tie to gain access to information). Network ties shaped parents' perceptions of the health care community and their role in their child's cancer care. Networks provided social leverage through health-related information and resource exchange. Conclusions: Findings have important implications for cancer care by informing the development of clinical services and interventions that leverage the power of social networks to enhance efficacy and reduce disparities.