R&D PROJECTS

Project Overview

Cancer among the adolescent and young adult (AYA) generation poses a risk of making patients socially isolated and feel lonely due to its rarity

The onset of cancer is a life event that could radically negatively change the patient’s life and cause patients to feel severely lonely. Patients with cancer in the AYA generation (15 to 39 years old) are spotted across the country and are spatially isolated due to their rarity. Previous studies have suggested that social isolation and loneliness cause a variety of health problems. In addition, the risk of suicide of cancer patients, which is the worst-case scenario, has been reported to be higher than that of the general population. However, the reality of social isolation and loneliness among AYAs with cancer is not understood worldwide because such patients are highly individualized through complex social networks.

The goal of this project is to achieve a society that does not foster isolation and loneliness among AYAs with cancer

This project will develop a supportive intervention that integrate the real world (physical space) and virtual space (cyber space) to deal with the rarity and individuality of AYAs with cancer.
The methods are as follows. (1) We will clarify and conceptualize the mechanism of social isolation and loneliness through psychosocial and medical interviews and questionnaire surveys with AYAs with cancer, their families, and healthcare providers. (2) We will develop a multi-axis assessment index of social isolation and loneliness. (3) We will develop a supportive intervention that integrate physical and cyber spaces by utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) so that patients can receive the intervention wherever they are.
This project is expected to clarify the reality of social isolation and loneliness among AYAs with cancer and enable themselves and society to recognize the impact and the related factors of them. The project is also expected to resolve their unmet need based on their individual conditions by being provided with the developed integrated support intervention in physical and cyber spaces. Through the effort above, a society that does not foster isolation and loneliness among AYAs with cancer will be achieved.

Q&A

Please tell us more about the social vision this project aims to achieve for the primary prevention of social isolation and loneliness.

The AYA generation is at a point in their lives when their interest in relationships widely changes from families and schoolmates to work, partners, and society. Experiencing major life events such as cancer during this period interrupts the establishment of self-identity, impairs social development such as transition in reference groups and group relationships, and makes it difficult for them to regenerate and integrate themselves and adapt to society after cancer onset. As a result, AYAs with cancer are considered to fall into social isolation and loneliness. Based on the hypothesis above, this project will develop an appropriate preventive intervention and create a new vision of society that does not foster social isolation and loneliness.

What are the biggest challenges (bottlenecks) in achieving the social vision above?

AYAs with cancer are considered to have various types of social isolation and loneliness. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges is to create a system that provides the developed supportive intervention into sustainable initiatives to meet their individual needs and preferences. We will study strategies for implementing the supportive intervention developed in society with stakeholders, such as patients, medical practitioners, supporters, policymakers, and implementation science experts.

Participating/Cooperating Institutions

• National Cancer Center Japan, The University of Tokyo, Nagoya City University, Waseda University, Nippon Medical School, NPO Gannote, and others.