Analysis of the influential factors of the emotional health of patients with cancer based on the structural equation model: the role of social media and emotional support

Purpose To explore the mental health status of patients with cancer and related influential factors and provide a scientific basis to reduce serious emotional problems, improve the quality of life of cancer survivors and adopt targeted interventions. Methods A total of 517 patients who attended the oncology departments of six grade-A tertiary hospitals from July 2022 to September 2022 were selected by convenience sampling. The effects of emotional support, social media, patient-centred communication, health self-efficacy and cancer beliefs on the emotional well-being of patients with cancer were analysed based on the structural equation model. Results A Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation among the six latent variables ( P <0.01). The structural equation model path analysis showed that health self-efficacy ( β =0.374, P <0.001), cancer belief ( β =0.214, P =0.003) and emotional support ( β =0.104, P =0.031) all had positive effects on emotional health. The mediating effect results showed that cancer beliefs had a mediating effect on mental health in social media use ( β =0.106, P =0.001), emotional support ( β =0.028, P =0.002) and patient-centred communication ( β =0.050, P =0.002). Further, health self-efficacy had mediating effects on mental health in emotional support ( β =0.084, P =0.001) and patient-centred communication ( β =0.098, P =0.001). Conclusion By constructing structural equation models, this study found that emotional support, cancer beliefs and health self-efficacy showed a positive effect on the emotional well-being of patients with cancer. Further, it found a mediating role of health cancer beliefs on the impact of emotional support, social media use and patient-centred communication on mental health. Additionally, health self-efficacy has a mediating role regarding the effects of emotional support and patient-centred communication on mental health.