Relationship between perceived social support and mental health status of the advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care in Bangladesh

Background: Cancer patients experience significant changes in their social roles along with various physical and psychological challenges. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of palliative care in Bangladesh, there is a notable gap in research focusing on the psychosocial issues faced by patients with advanced cancer. Aim: This study aims to explore the level of social support perceived by Bangladeshi cancer patients and determine how this support relates to their mental health status. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 115 advanced cancer (stages III and IV) patients admitted to the palliative medicine department of a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. Perceived social support was measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the mental health status of the patients was assessed by Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21. Data collection was done from June to November 2023. Relationships between perceived social support, depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed by the Spearman correlation test. The moderating effect of perceived social support on patients' mental health variables was determined by multiple linear regression and simple slope analysis. p Value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Result: The study included an almost equal number of male (49.6%) and female (50.4%) patients, with a mean age of 50.7 +/- 14.4 years. Overall, perceived social support was moderate to high for most (74.7%) of the participants. Among the participants, 78.3% experienced anxiety, 77.4% suffered from depression, and 70.5% experienced stress. Depression, anxiety, and stress were all negatively and significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with perceived social support. Younger patients reported higher levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. Perceived social support had a significant buffering effect on depression and anxiety among the younger patients. Conclusion: Perceived social support has a profound and significant effect on the mental health of advanced cancer patients. Integrating psychosocial support early in palliative care can be highly beneficial to the mental health of these patients.