Distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients: an examination of psychosocial and practical challenges

Mosher, Catherine E.; Jaynes, Heather A.; Hanna, Nasser H.; Ostroff, Jamie S.

doi:10.1007/s00520-012-1532-6

Cited by 55 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In this study, emotion work was described as interconnected efforts to improve the patient’s mood and their own feeling states, such as maintaining a positive or grateful demeanor. Similar emotional tasks were described in a qualitative study of caregivers of lung cancer patients [28]; thus, these tasks may be common across cancer types.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives

Mosher

Adams

Helft

et al. 2015

Support Care Cancer

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Purpose Family caregivers of advanced colorectal cancer patients may be at increased risk for psychological distress. Yet their key challenges in coping with the patient’s illness are not well understood. Soliciting both patient and caregiver perspectives on these challenges would broaden our understanding of the caregiving experience. Thus, the purpose of this research was to identify caregivers’ key challenges in coping with their family member’s advanced colorectal cancer from the perspective of patients and caregivers. Methods Individual, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 advanced colorectal cancer patients and 23 primary family caregivers. Interview data were analyzed via thematic analysis. Results In nearly all cases, patient and caregiver reports of the caregiver’s key challenge were discrepant. Across patient and caregiver reports, caregivers’ key challenges included processing emotions surrounding the patient’s initial diagnosis or recurrence and addressing the patient’s practical and emotional needs. Other challenges included coping with continual uncertainty regarding the patient’s potential functional decline and prognosis and observing the patient suffer from various physical symptoms. Conclusions Findings suggest that eliciting the perspectives of both patients and caregivers regarding caregivers’ challenges provides a more comprehensive understanding of their experience. Results also point to the need to assist caregivers with the emotional and practical aspects of caregiving.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives

Mosher

Adams

Helft

et al. 2015

Support Care Cancer

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“…12, 23 Caregivers of lung cancer patients have reported difficulty with caregiving tasks such as providing emotional support and monitoring symptoms. 24, 25 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Randomized Pilot Trial of a Telephone Symptom Management Intervention for Symptomatic Lung Cancer Patients and Their Family Caregivers

Mosher

Winger

Hanna

et al. 2016

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

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106

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Context Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting both men and women and is associated with high symptom burden and psychological distress. Lung cancer patients’ family caregivers also show high rates of distress. However, few interventions have been tested to alleviate significant problems of this population. Objectives This study examined the preliminary efficacy of telephone-based symptom management (TSM) for symptomatic lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. Methods Symptomatic lung cancer patients and caregivers (N=106 dyads) were randomly assigned to 4 sessions of TSM consisting of cognitive-behavioral and emotion-focused therapy or an education/support condition. Patients completed measures of physical and psychological symptoms, self-efficacy for managing symptoms, and perceived social constraints from the caregiver; caregivers completed measures of psychological symptoms, self-efficacy for helping the patient manage symptoms and managing their own emotions, perceived social constraints from the patient, and caregiving burden. Results No significant group differences were found for all patient outcomes and caregiver self-efficacy for helping the patient manage symptoms and caregiving burden at 2 and 6-weeks post-intervention. Small effects in favor of TSM were found regarding caregiver self-efficacy for managing their own emotions and perceived social constraints from the patient. Study outcomes did not significantly change over time in either group. Conclusion Findings suggest that our brief telephone-based psychosocial intervention is not efficacious for symptomatic lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. Next steps include examining specific intervention components in relation to study outcomes, mechanisms of change, and differing intervention doses and modalities.

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“…Although research has begun to explore the impact of informal cancer caregiving on employment, most studies to date have been conducted in small samples or in a single disease site [13, 16, 17, 10, 11, 18], thus, limiting our understanding of the extent to which cancer caregiving impacts employment outcomes. To address these gaps, the current paper analyzes data from two surveys, the 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Survey (ECSS), a nationally representative sample of cancer survivors; and the LIVE STRONG 2012 Survey for People Affected by Cancer (SPAC), a large internet-based non-probability sample of cancer survivors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employment implications of informal cancer caregiving

et al. 2016

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Purpose Previous research describing how informal cancer caregiving impacts employment has been conducted in small samples or a single disease site. This paper provides population-based estimates of the effect of cancer caregiving on employment and characterizes the employment changes made by caregivers. Methods The sample comprised cancer survivors with a friend or family caregiver, participating in either the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Survey (ECSS) (n=458) or the LIVESTRONG 2012 Survey for People Affected by Cancer (SPAC) (n=4,706). Descriptive statistics characterized the sample of survivors and their caregivers’ employment changes. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of caregivers’ extended employment changes, comprising time off and changes to hours, duties or employment status. Results Among survivors with an informal caregiver, 25% from the ECSS and 29% from the SPAC reported their caregivers made extended employment changes. Approximately 8% of survivors had caregivers who took time off from work lasting ≥ 2 months. Caregivers who made extended employment changes were more likely to care for survivors treated with chemotherapy or transplant; closer to diagnosis or end of treatment; who experienced functional limitations; and made work changes due to cancer themselves compared to caregivers who did not make extended employment changes. Conclusions Many informal cancer caregivers make employment changes to provide care during survivors’ treatment and recovery. Implications for cancer survivors This study describes cancer caregiving in a prevalent sample of cancer survivors, thereby reflecting the experiences of individuals with many different cancer types and places in the cancer treatment trajectory.

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Distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients: an examination of psychosocial and practical challenges

Cited by 55 publications

References 29 publications

Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives

Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives

Randomized Pilot Trial of a Telephone Symptom Management Intervention for Symptomatic Lung Cancer Patients and Their Family Caregivers

Employment implications of informal cancer caregiving

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