Objective: While the population in the western world is aging and cancer survival rates are increasing, there is a lack of knowledge concerning factors affecting social support and its relation to coping and distress among older patients. The aim of the current study is to assess the impact of marital status and gender upon levels of psychological distress, coping, and social support among middle-aged and older unmarried (divorced/widowed) and married colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Samples of 339 male and female colorectal patients were recruited from three major cancer centers in Israel. Participants’ psychological distress, coping styles and social support were assessed using four self-report standardized instruments.

Results: Two-way MANOVAs and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to assess the relationships between the study variables. High levels of distress were found among unmarried and male patients. Married men reported on significantly higher levels of spouse support than married women. Family support was correlated with psychological distress only among married patients. Surprisingly, spiritual-religious support was found to be correlated among some of the study groups with Helplessness and Fatalism.

Conclusions: The results support the assumption that married patients cope better with cancer than unmarried patients and that women cope better than men. These differences may be related to the cultural mores of Israeli society in which men are expected to play the ‘hero’ role or to a generally lower ability of men to use social support and of unmarried patients to get family support. Practical conclusions in terms of intervention are discussed.