Wellbeing research: The importance of support during cancer

Look Good Feel Better commissioned research to benchmark the wellbeing of people impacted by cancer. The 2023 NZ Cancer Wellbeing Survey measured the wellbeing of more than 2,000 New Zealanders including cancer patients and their supporters, and comparing their wellbeing with people not currently affected by cancer.

The survey, which will be carried out annually, is the first of its kind in Aotearoa and will help the charity to not only measure  wellbeing confidence but continue to evolve its wellbeing services and remain relevant and useful for people with cancer, and their carers.

Conducted by specialist research company Ipsos, the study used the World Health Organisation’s Wellbeing Index[1] to measure mental wellbeing.

It showed that people with cancer who have a support network of 10+ people report a signifcantly higher wellbeing score than those without cancer (15.4 vs 14.2 – with a score below 13 an indication of poor emotional wellbeing).

It also identified that organisational support drives higher wellbeing in both cancer sufferers and supporters – including accessing advice on physical activity, nutrition, support with body changes as a result of treatment, spiritual support and the ability to “give back”.

It also revealed that the wellbeing of New Zealanders diagnosed with cancer is better than that of their carers or people without cancer.

Look Good Feel Better general manager Clare O’Higgins says may be because being faced with a significant diagnosis can make people reevaluate what is important to them.

“People with cancer say they tend to be more grateful for every day and worry less about the smaller things than people not living with a cancer diagnosis,” says Ms O’Higgins.

“We are finding evidence that connection with others, a sense of community and physical movement can be beneficial to people living with cancer. Mindfulness and meditation are playing an increasingly important role in helping create positive mental health and fortitude,” Clare says.

Since the 2023 survey, the charity has expanded its range of online sessions to broaden the support it offers people from diagnosis to thrival.

Look Good Feel Better will conduct a second round of research in 2024, and use those findings to continually evaluate the wellbeing programme and offer the very best support to anyone with any cancer, anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.

[1] The WHO-5 Wellbeing Index is an internationally recognised and widely used scale to measure mental wellbeing. It consists of 5 simple statements about a person’s wellbeing that are self-rated on a scale of 0–5. See NZ Cancer Wellbeing Index Executive Summary document for more information.