Social alienation among patients with head and neck cancer : A latent profile analysis

Abstract Background Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients frequently experience post-treatment complications, including dysphagia, speech impairment, and facial disfigurement. These complications may reduce their willingness to participate in social activities and contribute to feelings of social alienation. Social alienation not only adversely affects patients’ physical and psychological health and quality of life, but also increases the burden on families and society. Objective This study aimed to explore the latent profiles of social alienation among patients with HNC and to identify factors influencing membership in different latent profiles. Methods In this study, A total of 317 patients with head and neck cancer who had completed radiotherapy at least 6 months previously were recruited from a tertiary Grade A hospital in Guangxi, China, using convenience sampling between March and May 2026. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the General Social Alienation Scale(GAS), the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory–Head and Neck Module (MDASI-HN), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Latent profile analysis(LPA) was conducted to identify the latent classes of social alienation among HNC patients, and ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the influencing factors. Results Three latent profiles of social alienation were identified among HNC patients: the low-alienation group–well-adapted type (n = 112,35.33%), the moderate-alienation group–interpersonal alienation type (n = 138,43.53%), and the high-alienation group–social isolation type (n = 67,21.14%). Monthly income of 1000–5000 yuan Symptom burden, anxiety, and social support were identified as significant influencing factors of the latent profiles of social alienation among HNC patients ( P  < 0.05). Conclusions Social alienation among patients with HNC demonstrated substantial heterogeneity. Patients in different latent profiles exhibited distinct patterns of symptom experience, psychological status, and perceived social support, suggesting differences in their social adaptation needs. Healthcare professionals should develop targeted nursing interventions based on patients’ latent profile membership and associated characteristics to alleviate social alienation and facilitate their reintegration into social life.