Background: Young adult (YA) cancer survivors, diagnosed between ages 15-39, face unique psychosocial challenges. With a recent increase in single-person households, more YA survivors are navigating their post-treatment life alone, which may heighten vulnerabilities in decision-making and accessing support. However, research on their specific experiences is limited. This study aimed to explore the life challenges and unmet needs among YA cancer survivors living alone.
Methods: We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with YA survivors recruited from a university-affiliated cancer center and an online community in Seoul, Korea. Participants were diagnosed between ages 15-39 and lived in single-person households. Interviews explored the reasons for living alone, associated life challenges post-diagnosis, and specific support needs.
Results: The 35 participants (mean age: 33.0; 71.4% female) identified significant unmet needs across several domains. Lifestyle/Physical needs involved the daily struggle of managing health-promoting activities, such as preparing healthy meals and exercising, as they lacked external motivation and support. Psychosocial needs encompassed profound loneliness and difficulties forming romantic relationships. Informational needs extended from challenges in finding reliable resources to lacking a trusted partner for shared decision-making. Finally, they expressed significant future planning needs, as heightened uncertainty about their life course felt overwhelming to navigate without someone to discuss it with.
Conclusion: YA cancer survivors living alone experience a distinct constellation of lifestyle, psychosocial, and informational needs. These findings underscore the urgent necessity for tailored support programs to address the unique vulnerabilities of this growing population