This study assessed coping strategies, social network and support in patients, with head and neck cancer, treated in a hospital in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 22 participants completed a Social Demographic Questionnaire Inquiring on Life Style, Clinical File, the Escala Modos de Enfrentamento de Problemas (EMEP) (Ways of Coping with Problems Scale) with Measures of Social Network and Support. The least used coping strategies were emotion focused-coping (M: 2,08, SD: 0.63) and search for social support (M: 2.62, SD: 0.80), participants had a large network with low level of intimacy, the general average score for social support was low (M: 71, SD: 10). The main correlations found in the study were emotional support and information (r=0.785, p<0.01), and problem-focused coping and religion (r=0.579, p<0.05). Factorial analysis identified interactions between certain coping strategies and social support. Implications for psychological practice aimed to improve adjustment to health stressors and social support are discussed.
Head and neck neoplasms; Social networks; Social support; Coping behavior
