Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40640458›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Financial toxicity and quality of life among older adults with cancer: a moderated mediation model of loneliness and social support.

Qin Zhao, Yi Kuang, Xiaoyi Yuan, Yanling Sun, Zheng Zhu, Jing Zhu, Haiyan Gu, Weijie Xing

Abstract read
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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Total treatment interval and quality of life of women living with breast cancer in Ethiopia: the mediating role of financial toxicity.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  3. Exploring associations between area deprivation index, income, and loneliness among cancer caregivers.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Qin ZhaoDepartment of Nursing, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Yi KuangDepartment of Nursing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Xiaoyi YuanDepartment of Nursing, Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Yanling SunDepartment of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Jiading District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
Zheng ZhuSchool of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jing ZhuDepartment of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
Haiyan GuDepartment of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
Weijie XingSchool of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. xingweijie@fudan.edu.cn.

Funding

the China Medical Board Open Competition Program 20-371the National Natural Science Foundation of China 72004034
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFinancial toxicity (FT) is prevalent among older adults with cancer due to the expensive costs of cancer treatment and causes a decline in quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to get insights into the potential mechanisms of how FT impacts QoL through a moderated mediation model and explore the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating role of social support.

methodsA cross-sectional survey from May to October 2021 was conducted to recruit older adults with cancer aged 60 years and above in Shanghai, China. A total of 832 participants were included and answered questionnaires. SPSS PROCESS macro 4.2 software was administered to perform moderated mediation analysis. In the conceptual model, FT serves as the independent variable, QoL as the outcome variable, and loneliness as the mediator. Social support is hypothesized as moderator, influencing all three paths in the mediation model.

resultsLoneliness partially mediated the relationship of FT on QoL (β = 0.129, P < 0.001, 95%CI: 0.093, 0.169), accounting for 30.71% of the total effect. Social support moderated the association between FT and loneliness (β = 0.154, P < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.090, 0.219), and the connection between loneliness and QoL (β = 0.048, P < 0.05, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.091). As social support decreased, the mediating effect of loneliness became stronger.

conclusionThe study revealed that FT not only directly impacted QoL but also operated through the mediating mechanism of loneliness. These insights contribute to a better understanding of the psychosocial factors related to financial challenges among older adults with cancer and play an essential role in developing targeted interventions and support systems to improve the overall QoL of this vulnerable population. Future research may further explore the dynamic nature of these relationships and investigate effective strategies to alleviate financial burdens and enhance social support for older adults navigating cancer-related challenges.

Indexed as

LonelinessNeoplasmsQuality of LifeSocial SupportAgedAged, 80 and overChinaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMediation AnalysisMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesCancerFinancial toxicityLonelinessOlder adultsQuality of lifeSocial support

Identifiers

PMID40640458

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.