Coping with newly diagnosed upper gastrointestinal cancer: a longitudinal qualitative study of family caregivers’ role perception and supportive care needs

Abstract

This study provides new insight into the supportive care needs of family caregivers of upper GI cancer patients and the impact of unmet need on the emotional well-being of family caregivers. These results will inform future supportive care service development and intervention research aimed at reducing unmet supportive care needs and psychological distress of family caregivers of patients with poor prognosis upper GI cancer.

Nutrition in peri-operative esophageal cancer management

“…The nutritional symptoms are frequently accompanied by weight loss, which can be severe (>15% of preoperative weight in 33.8% and 36% of patients after 3 and 5 years, respectively) and long-lasting (≥10 years) [38,103,104]. Not only the patients but also their caregivers report to be affected by postsurgical functional disorders and indicate the need for sufficient information related to patient nutrition [105,106].…”

Don’t need help, don’t want help, can’t get help: How patients with brain tumors account for not using rehabilitation, psychosocial and community services

“…Recruitment was limited to patients from a single Australian state, and to those well enough to participate. The findings may have been different if caregivers' views had been considered, although the difficulties in distinguishing their experiences in accessing psychosocial care from those of patients has been previously noted [23][24][25]. Interviews were conducted early in the disease trajectory, when patients may not yet have yet wished to seek help for their issues, and experiences may have varied over time.…”

“…Although the exclusion of data collected from family member proxies may limit the sample to those with better health status, some studies suggest that partners are typically more dissatisfied with patients' psychosocial care than patients themselves [23,24]. Family members may also experience barriers to having their own psychosocial needs met, which may influence their perceptions of the psychosocial services available to the patient, and their reasons for using or declining support services [25]. Although data collection was undertaken with all available participants rather than until theoretical saturation, the rich data and recurrence of themes allows empirical confidence in the theoretical propositions generated [26], in a novel and understudied area.…”

“…Preliminary findings were presented at the MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer (June [23][24][25]2016). …”

Experiences of Family of Patient with Newly Diagnosed Advanced Terminal Stage Hepatocellular Cancer

“…According to Shaw et al' (2013) research family caregiver revealed significant information and support needs. Family caregiver distress was exacerbated by a lack of patient care knowledge.…”