title: The experience of cancer survivors in community-based psycho-social support activities in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer survivors are often embroiled in various physical and psycho-social issues as a consequence of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Psycho-social support activities in the phase of rehabilitation were provided to enhance their quality of life. This study seeks to explore and understand their experience of engagement in Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club (SCRC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight participants attended eight semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis framework was adopted for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants reported benefits such as psychological support, informational provision and tangible support in the activities. Public services were reported to have restored their dignity and enabled them to rediscover their own meaning of life. Participants also pointed out challenges on functioning and opportunity for development of SCRC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The psycho-social support activities of SCRC had influenced cancer survivor's life. Public health resources and supportive policies should be in place to support local self-help cancer rehabilitation groups.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. jiweiwang@fudan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ji-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Rui
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qi
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Si-Jia
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Health Education Association, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Nian
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. jmy@fudan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jin-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Cancer survivors; Psycho-social support activities; Qualitative research; Quality of life; Self-help group