Table 2.
Exemplar quotes of most frequent types of social support provided by specific sources of support
| Type of Support | Representative Quotes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source of Support | Family | Emotional Support | I’m not really sure a certain type of conversation takes place, but it’s more like there’s a reassurance, just kind of a look, like, We’re here for you no matter what, we’ve got you, “from my parents to me. .... And it’s just ... they know that I love them more than anything in the world, and vice versa, I know that they love me unbelievably.” (AYA-5032, 25 year-old, Female) |
| Informational Support | “I like to know all the information. To know exactly what’s going on and how to best choose. My mom also does a lot of research and then we talk about it and figure it out together.” (AYA-5034, 15 year-old, Female) | ||
| Instrumental Support | “I’d have to fall back on my mom again, who has driven me to and from the hospital countless times, who has kept track of all my medications for me, who’s looked for different symptoms and taken my temperature and called the hospital and talked with doctors ... and the housekeeping behind treatment that you don’t really think about. ... And it’s been really nice to lean on my mom as what I call my secretary for my medical treatment.” (AYA-5028, 19 year-old, Male) | ||
| Social Companionship | “Probably my Mom and my Dad … and always being there in the hospital and stuff like that.” (AYA-5030, 15 Year-old, Male) | ||
| Clinicians | Emotional Support | “Doctors back home have actually...and it’s a smaller facility than here so it’s... You get to know who you’re working with closer, nurses, doctors, physicians. And through that it just feels like I can trust them more. And so the bond is better.” (AYA-5036, 21 year-old, Male) | |
| Informational Support | “And they definitely have an attitude of no question is a dumb question, because they know how overwhelming it is and they’ve taken several, many years of their life to get to the place where they are in practicing such a high level in the medical field. And there’s just a lot of information. And so, they are totally willing to answer the silliest or little questions. And that’s been a helpful attitude to work with.” (AYA-5028, AYA-5028, 19 year-old, Male) | ||
| Peers | Emotional Support | “And then my friends group are wonderful as well, because there’s some sort of comfort that you get from talking with people your age that you can’t get otherwise. And being able to talk with my friends about certain issues and discuss things openly has been helpful.” (AYA-5028, 19 year-old, Male) | |
| Social Companionship | “Usually like to hang out with friends or something that... That always cheers me up. Or play video games or something like that. Just spend time with friends mostly.” (AYA-5030, 15 Year-old, Male) | ||
| Existing Community | Emotional Support | “I ended up joining a female Bible study there, and yeah, and went there every week for a sermon and worship, like church, and yeah, it was great. It just sucks that I just can’t be around that many people that I don’t know if they’re sick or not, with my immune system and stuff right now. But I do know that they’re all, a lot of them, are praying for me, and that means the world to me.” (AYA-5032, 25 year-old, Female) | |
| Social Companionship | “It’s an organization that’s a....called the [De-identified national organization]. … that’s where I met all of the people that have the same thing as me. They are all athletes. ... Seeing other kids like me … doing the sports that I didn’t think I could ever do when I got amputated. It’s introduced me to wheelchair basketball and I really like that. It’s brought me new experiences and stuff.” (AYA-5030, 15 Year-old, Male) | ||
| Cancer Community | Emotional Support | “Getting in touch with the people from my various support groups and telling them what’s on my mind and tell me some of their experiences of what they’re going through with their cancer and things like that are just nice to hear other people who know what you’re going through, when you have cancer you are definitely very alone. ... Speaking as a cancer patient it definitely fills me with hope when somebody can say “yeah, I’ve been there.” (AYA-5013, 24 year-old, Male) | |
| Social Companionship | “It’s been nice because we’ve been able to communicate with each other, and when we were in the hospital, we got to become friends with each other. It makes things a little more easier to know that you’re not the only person going through it. Other people can be too.” (AYA-5027, 14 year-old, Female) |