Types of Social Engagement Among Older Cancer Survivors and the Effect on Depressive Symptoms and Life Satisfaction: A Latent Class Analysis

Objectives: To identify an empirical typology of social engagement and its association with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction among older cancer survivors.

Sample & Setting: This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Methods & Variables: Latent class analysis was used to categorize social engagement types. Hierarchical regression analysis then investigated the impact of older cancer survivors’ social engagement on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction.

Results: Three classes were identified as follows: a religiously centered group, a diverse social participation group, and a passive participation group. Hierarchical regression indicated that the depressive symptoms of the diverse social participation group were significantly lower than those of the passive participation group (β = –0.157, p = 0.002). There was no significant effect on life satisfaction.

Implications for Nursing: This study enhances the understanding of engagement patterns and serves as a reference for older cancer survivors who need support.