Post-Treatment Cancer Survivors' Experience of Social Reintegration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

Objective: Synthesize qualitative research to explore post-treatment cancer survivors' social reintegration experience.

Methods: We conducted a meta-synthesis that included studies on all types of cancer. There were no restrictions on article age or location of the studies, provided they met the inclusion criteria. A search of the Cochrane Library, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase (Ovid), and CINAHL (EBSCO) was conducted for studies published in English in February 2024. The PRISMA guidelines were followed. The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual was used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-aggregation was performed to synthesize the findings of the included studies.

Results: A total of 1031 articles were identified in the initial search. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The total number of cancer survivors included in this systematic review was 395. Five synthesized findings were identified: the impact of cancer and treatments on survivors' physical, psychological, and social interactions was the cause of social withdrawal; cancer survivors encountered internal and external obstacles in the process of social reintegration; cancer survivors took action to promote social reintegration; support from others encouraged cancer survivors' social reintegration, but they also had unmet needs; social reintegration promoted cancer survivors to view cancer positively and achieve self-transcendence.

Conclusion: This study synthesized qualitative evidence related to social reintegration among post-treatment cancer survivors. Cancer survivors took active measures for social reintegration. In turn, social reintegration also had a positive consequence on cancer survivors. Survivors had internal and external obstacles and needs in the process of social reintegration. Therefore, practitioners should identify obstacles and needs for social reintegration and develop targeted intervention programs to facilitate the social reintegration of survivors.