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Social support and the cancer patient--a need for clarity.

This paper addresses the importance of social support to the health of cancer patients, drawing upon the relevant literature from medical, psychological and social research. The development of a measure of social support for cancer patients for use in guiding health care and assessing the effects of social support on the patients health statues are needed. Various definitions of social support are considered and the difficulties of adequately defining the concept are discussed. Given the lack of a uniformed definition and emphasis on multiple aspects of social support it is argued that research should address the experiences and needs of patients with cancer. Specifically, with a view to providing a clinical measure of social support. The development of the Bottomley Social Support Scale is outlined and suggestions made for ways forward in researching and understanding social support.