Social and Psychological Effects of Childhood Cancer

Abstract

The mental health of childhood cancer patients and survivors has become an increasingly important issue as many survivors have shown to have greater levels of difficulty in the educational and social sectors. This is due to physical impairments from the cancer itself, cancer treatments, or an indirect cause of missing out on crucial moments for social development throughout childhood. These factors affect childhood cancer survivors into adulthood and beyond, where they experience lower rates of employment, financial struggles due to the sheer cost of mental health care, and trouble forming and maintaining adequate platonic, romantic, and familial relationships. This indicates a need for increased research focusing on the mental difficulties of childhood cancer patients, during and after treatment, so that doctors, families of these patients, and mental health professionals can respond to early signs of mental problems and accommodate to prevent them from worsening. By doing this, we can provide more opportunities for this vulnerable population to live a healthy life.