Date of Graduation

Winter 12-18-2026

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Public Health

First Advisor

Sharon Tafolla

Abstract

Background: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience unique physical, psychosocial, developmental, and healthcare-related challenges that often persist beyond treatment completion. Although survivorship resources have expanded, gaps in supportive care needs persist. This scoping review examined the supportive care needs, survivorship resources, and barriers to accessing supportive care among AYA cancer survivors.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley framework and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2026 was identified through searches in PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies examining supportive care needs, survivorship resources, or supportive care services among AYA cancer survivors (ages 15–39) were eligible for inclusion. Following screening, 18 studies representing qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and intervention designs were included and synthesized using thematic analysis.

Results: Five overarching areas of supportive care needs and survivorship experiences emerged across the included studies: psychosocial and mental health support, healthcare navigation and survivorship care planning, social and peer support, practical and functional needs, and system-level barriers to survivorship care. Survivors reported persistent unmet needs related to mental health, fertility, education, employment, financial well-being, and navigating healthcare systems. Survivorship care plans, patient navigation services, digital and educational interventions, and peer support demonstrated potential for providing individualized information, coordinating care and resources, and supporting self-management. However, fragmented care, inconsistent availability and implementation of supportive services, healthcare access disparities, and declining engagement with follow-up care remained persistent barriers to comprehensive survivorship support.

Conclusions: AYA cancer survivors require comprehensive, developmentally appropriate survivorship care that extends beyond medical surveillance. Strengthening patient navigation, survivorship care planning, peer support, and coordinated care delivery may improve access to supportive services and long-term health outcomes. Future research should evaluate the long-term effectiveness of survivorship interventions and prioritize equitable implementation across diverse populations.

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