The Impact of Social Support on the Mental Health of Cancer Patients: Evidence from China
Abstract
Exploring the relationship between social support and the mental health of cancer patients is a vital endeavor for enhancing mental well-being. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between social support and psychological well-being in cancer patients and to provide new empirical evidence for psychological improvement in cancer patients. This research holds significant practical implications for optimizing China’s public health system and strengthening the development of a healthy China. Using data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database, we empirically examined the influence of social support on the mental health of cancer patients. Models such as Ordered Probit and OLogit were used to provide empirical evidence and theoretical insights for enhancing the mental health of cancer patients in a context marked by a high prevalence of cancer. The findings indicated that both formal and informal social support mechanisms were effective in improving the mental health of cancer patients. Furthermore, we utilized the propensity score matching (PSM) model to eliminate the endogeneity issue associated with sample selectivity bias. The results obtained through PSM demonstrated robustness, underscoring the importance of addressing sample selectivity bias when assessing the impact of social support on the mental health of cancer patients. Therefore, the Chinese government is recommended to prioritize the use of social support as a means to proactively enhance the mental health of cancer patients, thereby continuously elevating their overall quality of life.
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