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Psychosocial Experiences, Challenges, and Recommendations for Care Delivery among Partners of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT: For women diagnosed with breast cancer, partners are consistently identified as the primary support person. Despite growing consensus about the psychosocial experience and unmet needs of cancer caregivers, limited evidence exists about strategies to offer partner-centered care across the cancer continuum. This study describes challenges endured by partners of breast cancer survivors (BCS), strategies implemented to manage these experiences, and recommendations for healthcare providers to inform targeted psychosocial care. Using convenience sampling, 22 partners of female BCS were recruited and completed semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis was used to code and synthesize findings. Participants described undergoing five experiences in their role as romantic partners: (a) assuming the role of caregiver, (b) becoming healthcare advocates for BCS, (c) connecting emotionally with the partner, (d) managing their own painful emotions, and (e) connecting with others for support. Experience-specific coping strategies and recommendations were identified. Romantic partners face multiple transitions across the cancer care continuum, which warrant investigation to sustain their well-being and active participation in illness management. Psychosocial interventions for this group will benefit from flexible implementation and attention to care delivery, mental health, and supportive/social needs.

SUBMITTER: Acquati C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9956235 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Psychosocial Experiences, Challenges, and Recommendations for Care Delivery among Partners of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

Acquati Chiara C Head Katharine J KJ Rand Kevin L KL Alwine Jennifer S JS Short Danielle Nicole DN Cohee Andrea A AA Champion Victoria L VL Draucker Claire Burke CB

International journal of environmental research and public health 20230204 4

For women diagnosed with breast cancer, partners are consistently identified as the primary support person. Despite growing consensus about the psychosocial experience and unmet needs of cancer caregivers, limited evidence exists about strategies to offer partner-centered care across the cancer continuum. This study describes challenges endured by partners of breast cancer survivors (BCS), strategies implemented to manage these experiences, and recommendations for healthcare providers to inform ...[more]

PMID: 36833489

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Project description:BackgroundRecommendations are in place for mental health (MH) care to be developed into a comprehensive, people-centred perspective and organised primarily through community services. In recent decades, Brazil has promoted psychiatric reform aimed at transforming the hospital-centred model into a psychosocial model of MH. However, current political and economic changes threaten this reform. This article analyses the comprehensive MH care offered by a Psychosocial Care Network (Rede de Atenção Psicossocial - RAPS) in Brazil.MethodsThe study involved semi-structured in-depth interviews with 33 stakeholders (policymakers, health professionals, and MH service users) and direct observation of MH services members of the RAPS. Data were analysed using framework analysis with the following dimensions: mental health services access, long-term mental health care, comprehensive mental health care, and crisis patient care.ResultsResults indicated progression towards comprehensive MH care provision. We identified MH care provided primarily by community services, featuring an 'open door' policy, development of localised actions and a search for autonomy. Deinstitutionalisation principles and the psychosocial model support a comprehensive view of MH by policy makers, MH professionals, and users. However, difficulties in providing comprehensive care remain, with the main challenges being insufficient services offered and difficulties in user access at all levels of care, fragile integration between services, lack of clear definitions of the responsibilities of each service, discontinuity of care, limitations in family support, and fragility in crisis patient care.ConclusionWe highlight the need to increase funding and services of RAPS, qualification of staff professional, family support, and development of strategies for integrating services. Support and expansion of MH care depend on strengthening the Brazilian health system, which is in danger of being dismantled.

Project description:ObjectiveTo explore how cancer survivors have experienced their contacts with primary care after being diagnosed with cancer, focusing on the integration between cancer specialist and primary care, and participants' views on what could make primary care services better at catering to the needs of cancer survivors.DesignA qualitative study in which data was collected through semi-structured digital focus group interviews and analyzed using a template analysis approach.Setting and subjectsAdult residents of Skåne, Sweden, who had been diagnosed with and initiated treatment for either of five common cancer forms, recruited through patient advocacy groups.Main outcome measuresA qualitative description of participants' experiences and perceptions as expressed in focus group interview data.ResultsMost participants felt that primary care services had not played a significant role for them, despite patterns of both increased and unmet health needs. Insufficient coordination and communication with specialist cancer care, low availability, lacking personal continuity, low cancer competence and lacking commitment to cancer-related needs were presented as barriers to satisfactory primary care. A strengthened bond between cancer and primary care services, privileged access, and holistic perspectives were all suggested as measures to make primary care more suitable to cancer survivors' needs.ConclusionThe study suggests that cancer survivors experience a range of issues that hinders primary care services from playing a productive role in the cancer care process. The results speak for a need for interventions to remove barriers to satisfactory primary care contacts in this group of patients.KEY POINTSThe growing number of cancer survivors highlights the role of primary care services in the cancer care continuum.Despite the presence of unmet needs, few cancer survivors felt that primary care services had been significant to their care.Survivors identified a number of barriers to satisfactory primary care, including lacking coordination and communication between cancer and primary care.Strengthened links between healthcare services, privileged access, and holistic perspectives were suggested to improve primary care delivery for cancer survivors.

Project description:ObjectivesBreast cancer survivors experience a wide spectrum of physical sequelae from cancer treatment. National and international guidelines recommend that rehabilitation is offered from the point of diagnosis. However, there is a lack of data on the translation of these recommendations into clinical care. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of breast cancer survivors, rehabilitation professionals and breast surgeons on current rehabilitation services including preferences for care delivery, specific ways to promote early detection and timely management of upper body issues and attitudes towards self-managed surveillance and rehabilitation.DesignQualitative focus groups. Breast cancer survivors completed a questionnaire about rehabilitation services received and experience of upper body issues. These quantitative data were collected to provide context for the qualitative data and increase transferability. Transcripts were analysed using content analysis.SettingFive geographically distinct health authorities in British Columbia, Canada.ParticipantsEleven focus groups were conducted with 35 breast cancer survivors, 29 rehabilitation professionals and 5 breast surgeons.ResultsThree categories captured participants' concern and wish for improved care: (1) cut the cancer out and goodbye; (2) you have to look out for yourself and (3) in a perfect world. All breast cancer survivors reported chronic upper body issues (mean 4.5 unique issues). Breast cancer survivors expressed worry and uncertainty in their solo management of the rehabilitation. The current services were reported to not enable early detection and timely management. Suggestions included reorganising the timing of patient education and improving the quality of and access to rehabilitation services by elevating the knowledge among healthcare professionals and providing multimodal self-management resources.ConclusionsThe results revealed a gap between oncology guidelines and the current clinical reality. The rehabilitation services were reported in need of revamping to increase equity of care. Multiple upper body issues were reported by many breast cancer survivors.

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Psychosocial Experiences, Challenges, and Recommendations for Care Delivery among Partners of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

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Psychosocial Experiences, Challenges, and Recommendations for Care Delivery among Partners of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

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