American Indian cancer survivors: Exploring social network topology and perceived social supports

Background. The literature on social networks and social supports attests to the powerful influence of social relationships on health; there is a dearth of such studies with American Indians/Alaska Natives. Method. This exploratory study assesses the social network topology and perceived social supports received among American Indian cancer survivors and matched controls. Results. Although there did not appear to be marked differences overall among cases and controls, expressive social supports (eg, companionship, moral support, encouragement, advice, and friendship) were ranked highly across each component of the network. Conclusions. The family appears to be the principal source of social supports relative to either best/closest friend or church/community.