"I Have Always Existed, but Never Been Noticed": A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Social Frailty Among Prostate Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Survivors may experience social frailty due to physical, psychological, and social challenges after treatment. However, social frailty remains underrecognized in prostate cancer survivorship care. This study aimed to explore survivors' lived experiences of social frailty using a Heideggerian phenomenological approach and provide insights for multidisciplinary survivorship care.

METHODS

A qualitative design grounded in Heideggerian interpretive phenomenology was employed. Data were collected between May and July 2025 at the Department of Urology, Shanghai East Hospital. Participants who had completed primary treatment for prostate cancer at least three months prior to enrollment were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Seventeen participants were included in this study. In-depth, face-to-face interviews lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide developed by the research team. Interview data were analyzed using Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological analysis. NVivo 11 software was used to facilitate data organization and management.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged regarding how prostate cancer survivors experienced social frailty: withdrawal from the familiar world, erosion of masculine identity, misalignment of support, and finding respite in solitude.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that prostate cancer survivors experienced social withdrawal, identity disruption, and emotional ambivalence. These experiences reflected not only treatment-related challenges but also stigma, disrupted masculine identity, and reduced social belonging. Some survivors showed adaptive responses by redefining self-worth and finding meaning in solitude. The findings highlight the need for multidisciplinary survivorship care. Healthcare professionals should incorporate social frailty screening, nurse-led psychosocial support, family-centered communication, and referral to psychological or rehabilitation services to help survivors rebuild identity and maintain social connections.