Helping patients and their family caregivers cope with cancer

From Organizing Medicine to Cooking With More Leafy Greens: A Dyadic, Qualitative Analysis of How Older African American Couples Take Care of Each Other's Health

Guided by the Dyadic Theory of Illness Management, we explored spousal health management behaviors and their congruence within seventeen older African American married couples participating in a dyadic exercise intervention. Both prior to and after the intervention, spouses reported how they took care of their partner's health as well as what their partner did for them. Data were analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis, and five health management behaviors domains were identified (diet, exercise, self-care, medical compliance, relationship maintenance). Both partners were most likely to encourage healthier diets and exercise. Wives tended to report more behaviors compared to husbands. Couples had little congruence in their appraisals of each other's health management behaviors, and patterns were stable over time. Findings suggest incongruence in couples' health management behaviors represented complementary, collaborative efforts to support each other and that husbands may underestimate how much care they both provide to and receive from their wives.

Digital Health Psychosocial Intervention in Adult Patients With Cancer and Their Families: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with cancer and their families often experience significant distress and deterioration in their quality of life. Psychosocial interventions were used to address patients' and families' psychosocial needs. Digital technology is increasingly being used to deliver psychosocial interventions to patients with cancer and their families.

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to review the characteristics and effectiveness of digital health interventions on psychosocial outcomes in adult patients with cancer and their family members.

METHODS

Databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, and ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies that tested the effects of a digital intervention on psychosocial outcomes. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal checklists for RCTs and quasi-experimental studies were used to assess quality. Standardized mean differences (ie, Hedges g) were calculated to compare intervention effectiveness. Subgroup analysis was planned to examine the effect of delivery mode, duration of the intervention, type of control, and dosage on outcomes using a random-effects modeling approach.

RESULTS

A total of 65 studies involving 10,361 patients (mean 159, SD 166; range 9-803 patients per study) and 1045 caregivers or partners (mean 16, SD 54; range 9-244 caregivers or partners per study) were included in the systematic review. Of these, 32 studies were included in a meta-analysis of the effects of digital health interventions on quality of life, anxiety, depression, distress, and self-efficacy. Overall, the RCT studies' general quality was mixed (applicable scores: mean 0.61, SD 0.12; range 0.38-0.91). Quasi-experimental studies were generally of moderate to high quality (applicable scores: mean 0.75, SD 0.08; range 0.63-0.89). Psychoeducation and cognitive-behavioral strategies were commonly used. More than half (n=38, 59%) did not identify a conceptual or theoretical framework. Most interventions were delivered through the internet (n=40, 62%). The median number of intervention sessions was 6 (range 1-56). The frequency of the intervention was highly variable, with self-paced (n=26, 40%) being the most common. The median duration was 8 weeks. The meta-analysis results showed that digital psychosocial interventions were effective in improving patients' quality of life with a small effect size (Hedges g=0.05, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.10; I2=42.7%; P=.01). The interventions effectively reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in patients, as shown by moderate effect sizes on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale total scores (Hedges g=-0.72, 95% CI -1.89 to 0.46; I2=97.6%; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the effectiveness of digital health interventions on quality of life, anxiety, and depression in patients. Future research with a clear description of the methodology to enhance the ability to perform meta-analysis is needed. Moreover, this study provides preliminary evidence to support the integration of existing digital health psychosocial interventions in clinical practice.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020189698; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=189698.

"You nearly feel a little bit like you've less right to grieve": a qualitative study on the impact of cancer on adult siblings

PURPOSE

Family members of cancer patients experience a range of challenges and are impacted in various ways by cancer. To our knowledge, the impact of cancer on adult siblings has yet to be explored. Sibling relationships are one of the longest relationships individuals have across the lifespan. Thus, the current study sought to investigate the perspectives of siblings of those who previously had cancer.

METHODS

Ten participants were recruited using purposive sampling. A qualitative, cross-sectional design was implemented with both virtual and in-person semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The researchers identified five themes relating to both the impact of cancer on siblings and the supports they received: changes in family relationships, sibling's grief is forgotten, benefits of social support networks, supporting their sibling and caregiving and self-support.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer organizations and support services should focus on signposting services for siblings in order to ensure they can access support. Further research is needed with siblings to gain greater insight into what supports siblings feel are available for them to access, whether there are any for them to access or how supports can be improved.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

The provision of appropriate psychological support for siblings of cancer patients will ensure they can provide optimal support and care to their siblings. This will in turn benefit cancer patients along their cancer trajectory as adequate support from their caregivers will enhance their quality of life.

A self-management psychoeducational eHealth program to support and empower people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers: Development using the scrum methodology

Background

eHealth programs could be a flexible and scalable resource to support and empower people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. A face-to-face intervention that has demonstrated effectiveness is the "FOCUS" program, developed and tested in the USA. Recently the FOCUS program was translated and adapted to the European context as part of an international study in six European countries, resulting in the "FOCUS+" program. FOCUS+ served as the basis for development of the web-based iFOCUS program.

Objective

We aim to (1) describe the development process of the iFOCUS program, (2) outline the challenges we encountered and how they were overcome, and (3) present findings regarding the acceptability and usability of iFOCUS.

Methods

We used the four phased agile Scrum methodology to develop iFOCUS and applied set timeframes of rapid program development and evaluation (sprints). Five teams were involved in the development i.e. a core development group, a web development team, an international consortium, audio-visual experts, and potential end-users.

Results

Development followed seven steps, integrated across the four phases of Scrum: (1) concept design, (2) development of mock-ups, (3) Feedback from the international consortium, (4) technical development of iFOCUS, (5) creating versions for the six participating countries, (6) preliminary testing of iFOCUS and (7) implementing the final version in a randomized controlled trial. User testing included 42 participants (twenty patient-family caregiver dyads and two bereaved family caregivers) who reviewed the iFOCUS program. Users found the iFOCUS program to be acceptable and usable. Feedback mainly focused on text size and fonts. Minor changes to the content, tailoring, and program flow were required. During development we encountered program specific and general challenges. Using the Scrum methodology facilitated iterative development to address these issues. For some challenges, such as tailoring, we had to make pragmatic choices due to time and resource limitations.

Conclusions/discussion

The development of a tailored, self-managed psychoeducational eHealth program for people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers is an intense process and requires pragmatic choices. By keeping the emphasis on the target population during development, no specific remarks pertaining to advanced cancer were identified. Some challenges we encountered are common to eHealth development, others were related to program specific requirements. Using the Scrum methodology allows teams to efficiently collaborate during program development and increases the flexibility of the development process. Interpersonal contact between research staff and potential end-users is recommended during and after the development of eHealth programs.

Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions for Patients With Cancer and their Family Members: A Systematic Review

Cancer diagnosis poses enormous physical and psychosocial challenges for both the affected person and their families. This systematic review identifies the characteristics and effectiveness of nursing interventions offered to adult patients with cancer and their families. Five databases were searched, and 19 studies published from 2009 to 2020 were included. Interventions were categorized as follows: (a) interventions with supporting and cognitive components (n = 3), (b) interventions that included skills training for the caregiver (n = 3), (c) interventions to enhance care through managing symptoms (n = 8), (d) interventions focusing on the dyad or family-patient relationship (n = 4), and (e) interventions targeted to the patient's condition (n = 1). The results of this review offer an overview from which to carry out new studies and are useful for providing future directions within family nursing practice, taking into account the impact that the family has on the disease and the consequences the condition may bring to the whole family.

Living in Rural Areas and Receiving Cancer Treatment Away From Home: A Qualitative Study Foregrounding Temporality

We used explorative interviews to gauge (inter)personal, physiological, and emotional challenges of seven rural cancer patients who traveled long distances to cancer treatment centers. After a thematic analysis, we foregrounded experiences of temporality by using a phenomenologically inspired approach. The analysis resulted in three themes: (a) An epiphany of “what really matters in life”—time gains new meaning, (b) Feeling out of sync with others and own body—striving for coherence and simultaneity, and (c) Being torn between benefits of home and treatments site—time and distance as a tangible aspect of traveling and being away. Under these themes, 13 meaning units were generated, which reflected changes in temporality. During treatment, life primarily revolved around repeating circles of travel arrangements, staying on top of treatment schedule, and synchronizing a home life with a life away from home. Nurses should provide comprehensive care to enhance stability in cancer patients’ temporal experiences.

Open Communication and Physical Intimacy in Young and Midlife Couples Surviving Cancer Beyond the First Year of Diagnosis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between levels of dyadic coping (e.g., collaboration, communication) and sexual satisfaction in young and midlife couples surviving cancer beyond the first year of diagnosis.

SAMPLE & SETTING

This cross-sectional study included 49 young and midlife couples (aged 21-57 years) beyond the first year of diagnosis. Couples were from rural and urban areas.

METHODS & VARIABLES

A mailed survey was used to gather data from cancer survivors and their partners.

RESULTS

Controlling for cancer survivor sex and age, open communication was significantly associated with greater involvement in affectionate and sexual behaviors of the couple. Protective buffering behaviors (i.e., concealing worries and avoiding communication) were not significantly associated with engagement in physical intimacy. Perception of how much a partner openly communicates was more salient for engaging in physical intimacy than one's own open communication.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses should include partners in planned care, assess the concerns of the partner, and treat the couple as the unit of care.

An Evaluation of Natural Environment Interventions for Informal Cancer Caregivers in the Community

Home-based informal caregiving by friends and family members of patients with cancer is be-coming increasingly common globally with rates continuing to rise. Such caregiving is often emo-tionally and cognitively demanding, resulting in mental exhaustion and high perceived burden. Support for caregivers may be fostered by engagement with the natural environment. Interaction with nature is associated with mental health benefits such as stress reduction and improved well-being. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the state of the science regarding the use of nat-ural environment interventions to support caregivers of cancer patients in the community. A comprehensive scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the Preferred Re-porting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses assessed natural environment therapies and mental health outcomes among cancer caregivers. Databases searched included CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Alt HealthWatch. Findings recovered a total of five studies over a 10-year period that met criteria, demonstrating a lack of empirical evidence addressing this po-tential resource to support caregivers. Often, study appraisal was not on nature exposure, but ra-ther other aspects of the projects such as program evaluation, exercise, or complementary thera-pies. Both qualitative and quantitative designs were used but sample sizes were small. Caregivers experienced beneficial results across the various studies and future work could enhance these findings.

Caring for people who take care: What is already done?

Objective

The growing prevalence and impact of cancer on the family system calls for a palliative care approach with the family as the unit of care. This study aimed at providing an overview of the intervention programs that have been developed to offer support to the family caregivers of oncologic patients receiving palliative care.

Method

Sixteen articles were included in the final review, encompassing (i) studies focused on intervention programs with family caregivers of cancer patients in palliative care, (ii) studies including a pre- and post-test evaluation of the intervention program, (iii) and studies whose cancer patients were at least 18 years old.

Results

A great heterogeneity was verified with respect to care settings, number of sessions, outcome measures, or timing of assessment within the reviewed programs. These findings mirrored the complexity of the palliative care approach, which is difficult to standardize. Nonetheless, some interventions with different features accomplished good and sometimes similar results. The studies’ main outcomes were clustered in five categories: psychological symptomatology, general quality of life, caregiving role, family relational variables, and bereavement/grief. Moreover, 44% of the main outcomes were psychological symptomatology of family caregivers, with an emphasis toward anxiety and depression. Also shown was a growing emergence of technology use among these interventions.

Significance of results

Results revealed a scarcity of family-oriented programs and lack of certified mental health professionals as interventionists. Future studies and interventions should focus on the positive outcomes of the caregiving experience and must acknowledge the cultural differences when trying to replicate programs. Considering that there is no precise formula for dealing with terminal illness and grief, we submit that family-centered and systemic lenses are excellent approaches for support during this adjustment process. In conclusion, the present study advocates for increased investment in the field, underscoring the importance of family caregivers’ mental health.

The role of symptom appraisal, concealment and social support in optimizing dyadic mental health in heart failure

Objectives: Heart failure patients and their family care partners experience poor mental health, yet the majority of the research focuses on patients and care partners separately. Guided by the Theory of Dyadic Illness Management, the purpose of the current study was to identify distinct patterns of dyadic mental health in heart failure and identify the individual, dyadic and familial factors associated with group membership.Method: Fifty nine heart failure community-dwelling patients and their spouse care partners were recruited from an outpatient heart failure clinic. Mental health was operationalized by depressive symptoms, measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) measure of depression. Distinct groups of dyadic mental health were determined by categorizing depression scores within dyads.Results: Three groups of dyadic mental health were identified: an optimal dyadic mental health group (31%), a poor dyadic mental health group (32%) and an incongruent dyadic mental health group (37%). Patient age, patient fatigue, patient concealment, incongruent dyadic appraisal of pain interference and social/familial support were significantly associated with group membership.Conclusion: Findings underscore the salience of a dyadic approach to health and the clinical relevance of identifying patterns of dyadic mental health so we may determine those most in need of intervention.

The Me in We dyadic communication intervention is feasible and acceptable among advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers

BACKGROUND

Advanced cancer affects the emotional and physical well-being of both patients and family caregivers in profound ways and is experienced both dyadically and individually. Dyadic interventions address the concerns of both members of the dyad. A critical gap exists in advanced cancer research, which is a failure of goals research and dyadic research to fully account for the reciprocal and synergistic effects of patients' and caregivers' individual perspectives, and those they share.

AIM

We describe the feasibility and acceptability of the Me in We dyadic intervention, which is aimed at facilitating communication and goals-sharing among caregiver and patient dyads while integrating family context and individual/shared perspectives.

DESIGN

Pilot study of a participant-generated goals communication intervention, guided by multiple goals theory, with 13 patient-caregiver dyads over two sessions.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Patients with advanced cancer and their self-identified family caregivers were recruited from an academic cancer center. Dyads did not have to live together, but both had to consent to participate and all participants had to speak and read English and be at least 18 years or age.

RESULTS

Of those approached, 54.8% dyads agreed to participate and completed both sessions. Participants generated and openly discussed their personal and shared goals and experienced positive emotions during the sessions.

CONCLUSIONS

This intervention showed feasibility and acceptability using participant-generated goals as personalized points of communication for advanced cancer dyads. This model shows promise as a communication intervention for dyads in discussing and working towards individual and shared goals when facing life-limiting or end-of-life cancer.

Physical and Mental Quality of Life in Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease and Their Informal Caregivers

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Management of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) has implications for not only patients' quality of life (QOL), but also their caregivers'. We aimed to identify characteristics of patients with ESLD and their caregivers that are associated with QOL.

METHODS

We obtained cross-sectional baseline data from patients and their caregivers (132 dyads; 62% were married or partners), recruited from outpatient hepatology clinics within 2 healthcare centers. Patients were included if their model for end-stage liver disease score was 15 or more; caregivers were identified by the patient as the primary informal caregiver. QOL was measured by the SF-36 and relationship quality using the mutuality scale. We measured uncertainty using the uncertainty in illness scales for patients and caregivers. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Refractory ascites was associated with worse physical QOL for patients (unstandardized beta [B], -9.19; standard error [SE], 2.28) and caregivers (B, -5.41; SE, 2.33); history of hepatic encephalopathy was associated with worse patient physical QOL (B, -3.86; SE, 1.65). High levels of uncertainty were associated with worse physical and mental QOL for both members of the dyads; relationship quality was significantly associated with patient mental QOL (B, 2.73; SE, 1.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians and researchers should consider the effects of ESLD on caregivers as well as their patients to optimize the QOL for both.

Patterns of Heart Failure Dyadic Illness Management: The Important Role of Gender

BACKGROUND

The ways in which patients with heart failure (HF) and their care partners work together to manage HF are often overlooked.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify and compare different patterns of HF dyadic illness management.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of data on HF dyads. Heart failure management was measured using patient and care partner versions of the Self-Care of HF Index and European HF Self-care Behavior Scale. Latent class modeling was used to identify patterns of HF dyadic management.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 62 patients and their care partners was 59.7 ± 11.8 and 58.1 ± 11.9 years, respectively. A majority of patients (71.0%) had class III/IV HF, and a majority of the couples (95.2%) were married. Two distinct dyadic patterns were observed, 1 collaborative management type (n = 42, 67.7%) and 1 autonomous management type (n = 20, 32.3%). Dyads in the autonomous pattern were mostly female patients with male care partners; patients in this pattern also were more anxious and depressed, and reported worse relationship quality compared with collaborative dyads.

CONCLUSION

There is an engendered spectrum of collaboration in how HF patient-care partner dyads work together to manage HF that needs to be considered in clinical care and research.

"In Eight Minutes We Talked More About Our Goals, Relationship, Than We Have in Years": A Pilot of Patient-Caregiver Discussions in a Neuro-Oncology Clinic

Primary brain cancer is a diagnosis that can have drastic health impacts on patient and caregiver alike. In high-stress situations, dyadic coping can improve psychosocial and health outcomes and communication about personal life goals maybe one way to facilitate this coping. In this study, we describe the feasibility and accessibility of a one-time, self-directed goal discussion pilot intervention for neuro-oncology patients and their primary caregivers. Ten dyads were taken to a private room to complete a pre-discussion questionnaire, a worksheet to elicit personal goals, complete an 8-min discussion of goals, a post-discussion questionnaire, and provided open-ended feedback about the process. Post-discussion, dyads reported that the intervention was not stressful. In open-ended feedback, dyads overwhelmingly reported that the intervention was a positive experience, providing a safe, calm environment to have difficult conversations. This intervention provides a positive framework for improving communication and discussion of goals between patient-caregiver dyads.

Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the short version of Family Sense of Coherence Scale in a sample of persons with cancer in the palliative stage and their family members

OBJECTIVES

For patients' entire families, it can be challenging to live with cancer during the palliative stage. However, a sense of coherence buffers stress and could help health professionals identify families that require support. Therefore, the short version of the Family Sense of Coherence Scale (FSOC-S) was translated, culturally adapted, and validated in a Swedish sample.

METHODS

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the FSOC-S into Swedish was conducted in accordance with the World Health Organization's Process for Translation and Adaptation of Research Instruments guidelines. Participants were recruited from two oncology clinics and two palliative centers in Sweden.

RESULTS

Content validity was supported by experts (n = 7), persons with cancer (n = 179), and family members (n = 165). Homogeneity among items was satisfactory for persons with cancer and family members (item-total correlations were 0.45‒0.70 and 0.55‒0.72, respectively) as well as internal consistency (ordinal alpha = 0.91 and 0.91, respectively). Factor analyses supported unidimensionality. FSOC-S correlated (rs > 0.3) with hope, anxiety, and symptoms of depression, which supported convergent validity. The test-retest reliability for items ranged between fair and good (kw = 0.37‒0.61).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The FSOC-S has satisfactory measurement properties to assess family sense of coherence in persons with cancer and their family members. FSOC-S could be used to identify family members who experience low levels of perceived family sense of coherence which provides health care professionals with insight into families' needs and ability to live with cancer in the palliative stage.

The role of concealment and relationship quality on patient hospitalizations, care strain and depressive symptoms in heart failure dyads

Background:

Heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization among older adults and negatively influences person-reported outcomes of patients and their care partners. Moreover, the majority of heart failure research examines patients and care partners separately, ignoring the interdependent nature of the heart failure dyad.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to examine the interpersonal factors associated with depressive symptoms of heart failure patients and spouse care partners, patient hospitalizations over the last 12 months and care strain.

Methods:

A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to examine 60 community-dwelling adults with heart failure and their spouse care partners. Multilevel modeling controlled for the interdependent nature of the dyadic data.

Results:

Patients had significantly worse depressive symptoms than their spouse care partners. More patient concealment (i.e. hiding concerns/worries) and worse relationship quality were significantly associated with greater depressive symptoms for patients, but not spouse care partners. Better relationship quality (reported by spouse care partners) was significantly associated with lower levels of care strain, whereas better relationship quality (reported by patients) was significantly associated with worse care strain. Patients who had one or more hospitalizations over the past 12 months were significantly more likely to report higher levels of concealment; relationship quality was not associated with patient hospitalizations.

Conclusion:

Findings highlight the interdependent nature of heart failure and the complexity of the interpersonal context. Greater focus on how the heart failure dyad navigates illness as a unit over time is needed to design and tailor innovative lines of clinical intervention to optimize dyadic and individual health.

Patterns, relevance, and predictors of dyadic mental health over time in lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To identify distinct patterns of dyadic mental health in a sample of lung cancer dyads over 12 months and associations with other health characteristics and individual, dyadic, and familial predictors.

METHODS

A sample of 113 patient-care partner dyads living with nonsmall cell lung cancer were examined five times over 12 months. An integrative multilevel and mixture modeling approach was used to generate dyadic mental health summaries and identify common dyadic patterns of mental health over time, respectively.

RESULTS

Three distinct patterns of dyadic mental health were observed: a congruent pattern (32.7%) characterized by almost identical mental health between members of the dyad, a disparate pattern (29.2%) characterized by better mental health of the patient compared with the care partner, and a parallel pattern (38.1%) characterized by care partner patterns of improvement and greater similarity in mental health over time. Membership of patterns was associated with physical health characteristics of both patient and care partner, levels of patient concealment regarding worries and concerns, and relationship quality reported by the care partner. Patterns did not differ by patient gender, care partner strain, or levels of social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings emphasize the importance of examining patterns of dyadic mental health to identify dyads most at risk so we may optimize the health of the dyad in tailored ways.

Systematic review of measurement properties of instruments assessing nurses' attitudes towards the importance of involving families in their clinical practice

AIMS

To identify, appraise and describe the characteristics and measurement properties of instruments assessing nurses' attitudes towards the importance of involving families in their clinical practice.

DESIGN

Psychometric systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

The PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from their time of inception to June 2018.

REVIEW METHODS

Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies, extracted data, and appraised the methodological quality of the studies using the COSMIN checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 19 studies representing 5 instruments were included. Two instruments-a revised version of the Families' Importance in Nursing Care: Nurses' Attitudes scale (FINC-NA-R) and the Family Nurse Practice Scale (FNPS)-obtained higher scores for most of their properties. The instruments used in the remaining eight studies require further assessment of their psychometric properties.

CONCLUSION

This psychometric review offers a synthesis of the quality of the available instruments and gives a better understanding of nursing theory-based tools. The FNPS and FINC-NA-R instruments seem to be the most suitable measures of nurses' attitudes towards the importance of involving families in their clinical practice.

IMPACT

The growing emphasis on improving nurse-family relationships and the quality of care provided makes it necessary to have valid and reliable instruments for assessing nurses' attitudes towards the importance of involving families in their clinical practice. This paper provides evidence that will help clinicians and researchers make decisions about the most suitable instrument based on a critical appraisal and comparison of the measurement properties according to a rigorous methodology.

The decision partner in healthcare decision-making: A concept analysis

BACKGROUND

The decision partner concept emerged to describe someone who contributes to healthcare decision-making with a patient. There is a need for greater precision and consensus surrounding its conceptual definition and use in broader populations.

OBJECTIVE

To define and describe the decision partner concept within the context of healthcare decision-making.

DESIGN

A concept analysis.

DATA SOURCES

We searched the following databases for articles published between 1990-2017: PsychINFO, PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL. We included qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods studies that used the term decision partner in the context of healthcare decision-making.

METHODS

We applied the Walker and Avant method to identify the antecedents, attributes, related concepts, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept, with major themes identified.

RESULTS

From the 112 articles included in this concept analysis, 6 defining attributes of decision partner were identified: (1) has a relationship with the patient, (2) demonstrates a willingness to participate in decision-making, (3) articulates a clear understanding of both the patient's health condition and the decisions that must be made, (4) demonstrates decision-making self-efficacy; (5) exemplifies an emotional capacity to participate in decision-making, and (6) willing to fulfill several supportive roles including patient advocate and the "hub of information".

CONCLUSIONS

A unifying definition and discussion of the decision partner concept has been developed. Our findings: (1) offer insights into refining the concept across various diseases and healthcare encounters, (2) contribute to developing theoretical models and empirical research to refine antecedents, attributes, consequences, (3) serve as a foundation to develop instruments to measure the concept and (4) highlight the need to design interventions that include and support decision partners in healthcare decision-making.

O acompanhante do paciente oncológico em fase terminal: percepção do técnico de enfermagem

Objetivo: compreender a percepção dos técnicos de enfermagem em relação aos acompanhantes dos pacientes oncológicos em fase terminal.Metodologia: trata-se de uma pesquisa descritivo-exploratória de natureza qualitativa, desenvolvida em um hospital referência para o tratamento do câncer em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. A coleta de dados ocorreu entre os meses de setembro e outubro de 2016. Utilizou-se a Análise de Conteúdo fundamentada em Bardin para a avaliação das entrevistas.Resultados: a partir da análise das entrevistas, emergiram duas categorias empíricas: O conviver cotidiano do técnico de enfermagem e o acompanhante do paciente oncológico em fase terminal e Fatores dificultadores da interação da enfermagem com os acompanhantes, focando-se na interação dos profissionais com o acompanhante e os fatores de conflito entre as partes.Conclusão: foi evidenciada a importância do acompanhante pelo técnico de enfermagem nesse processo de terminalidade, na medida em que podem proporcionar segurança e acolhimento ao paciente. No entanto, a ausência de uma comunicação adequada entre os acompanhantes e o profissional foi o fator preponderante na geração de conflitos. A enfermagem requer, por parte da instituição assim como do acompanhante, de espaços nos quais possam expressar suas angústias e anseios, fazendo que esse percurso seja um momento de acolhimento e de criação de vínculos entre os envolvidos. 

The impact of implementing an educational intervention to enhance a family-oriented approach in specialised palliative home care: A quasi-experimental study

RATIONALE

Healthcare providers' beliefs, attitudes, experiences and knowledge, which guide the care they deliver, are the key factors influencing the quality of palliative care. Education and coaching innovation are needed to translate research outcomes and adopt evidence-based nursing care into practice.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of an advanced educational and coaching programme in a family systems' nursing approach for palliative care nurses in a home-care setting.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study using qualitative data from open-ended questions to augment the quantitative outcome study that included a single-group, pre- and post-test design. A total population sample of nurses was recruited from a specialised palliative home care unit at a university hospital. The study utilised two self-reported questionnaires.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant increase in the nurses' critical appraisal of clinical nursing practice related to family nursing after participation in the educational programme than before. No statistical difference was found in items related to nurses' experience of the interaction and reciprocity in the nurse-family relationship after participation in the programme than compared to before or in nurses' cancer-related beliefs. However, there was an overall significant positive change found in attitudes towards families in the total score of the Family Practice Scale. Nurses were also more positive about the further development of their knowledge and skills in advanced family nursing evident in the qualitative data.

CONCLUSION

An advanced educational intervention programme was successful in improving the nurses' knowledge, skills, satisfaction and confidence in relation to applied family nursing approach within the context of caring for families affected by advanced/final stage cancer. However, further refinement of the implementation process is needed to enhance family care improvement and the nurses' professional development in advanced family nursing in specialised palliative care.

Family functioning in the context of an adult family member with illness: A concept analysis

AIM

To describe and explain how the concept of family functioning has been used in the targeted sample of health literature on adult family members with illness.

BACKGROUND

Understanding the influence of illness on family functioning is central to the provision of patient- and family-centred care. There is lack of consistency in utilising family functioning which creates confusion about the concept and can interfere with theory development in nursing science. A clear conceptual definition of attributes of family functioning based on concept analysis could act as a guide in the development of instruments to assess family functioning, the design of family-based interventions and their application in clinical practice.

DESIGN

Concept analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Academic Search Premier, ProQuest Research Library, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched within the last 20 years (1997-Dec. 2016) using the terms "family function*" and "patient." Studies of paediatric patients and non-English articles were excluded.

METHOD

Rodgers' evolutionary perspective.

RESULTS

The findings suggest that family functioning in the context of illness is defined as family members' ability to maintain cohesive relationships with one another, fulfil family roles, cope with family problems, adjust to new family routines and procedures and effectively communicate with each other.

CONCLUSION

Further research is needed to inform nurses' practice when assessing families or providing patient- and family-centred interventions to support family functioning across different sociocultural and political contexts, and further identification and evaluation of antecedents and consequences regarding family functioning from a nursing perspective.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Having a comprehensive understanding of the attributes, antecedents and consequences of ineffective family functioning can facilitate healthcare providers' ability to identify strengths and potential targets to improve family functioning among their clients.

The implementation of mindfulness-based interventions and educational interventions to support family caregivers of patients with cancer: A systematic review

PURPOSE

This review aims to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and educational interventions (EIs) as supportive care for family caregivers (FCs) of patients with cancer.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The search protocol was performed using EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Science Direct for the studies published between 2007 and 2017.

FINDINGS

Little evidence is available on the usefulness of MBIs among FCs of patients with cancer. However, the available evidence supports that MBIs have the potential to enhance overall well-being and reduce the burden for FCs. EIs have shown positive outcomes on some aspects of well-being and reducing the burden.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The findings provide preliminary support for effectiveness of MBIs and EIs as a supportive care for FCs.

Anxiety and Depression Associated With Burden in Caregivers of Patients With Brain Metastases

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To describe and examine the relationship between caregiver burden and the affective disorders anxiety and depression in caregivers of patients with brain metastases.
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DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational.
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SETTING

Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego. 
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SAMPLE

56 family caregivers of patients with brain metastases from solid tumors at other primary sites.
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METHODS

Self-administered survey.
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MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression.
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FINDINGS

With the exception of caregiver esteem, no statistically significant relationships were noted between impact on schedule, a dimension of caregiver burden, and screening positive for affective disorders.
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CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study support previous reports indicating that the odds of having anxiety and depressive symptoms are greater in family caregivers who report higher levels of caregiver burden.
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IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

The identification and management of caregiver burden are important considerations for a comprehensive cancer care program. Addressing the needs of the cancer caregiver, who is at heightened risk for various psychological, physical, financial, and social problems, is increasingly vital.

Psychological morbidity in family caregivers of people living with terminal cancer: Prevalence and predictors

Objective

The issues surrounding a patient's terminal phase of cancer and the imminent death of the individual represent a major family crisis affecting all its members. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of psychological morbidity in family caregivers of persons with terminal cancer in terms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, somatization, and complicated anticipatory grief, and to determine which factors may influence these responses.

Method

One hundred and twelve family caregivers of individuals with terminal cancer completed an assessment protocol comprising the Brief Symptom Inventory (depression, anxiety, somatization, and a computed score for global distress), the Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory - Short Form (anticipatory grief), the Family Inventory of Needs (importance and satisfaction of needs), and the Systemic Clinical Outcome Routine Evaluation -15 (family functioning). Prevalence of psychological morbidity was determined through descriptive and frequency statistics. Predictors of psychological morbidity were ascertained through structural equation modelling methods.

Result

Regarding the prevalence of psychological morbidity in family caregivers, 66.1% reported high levels of distress, 68.8% showed high risk of depression, 72.3% showed high risk of anxiety, 50.9% reported high levels of somatization, and 25.9% showed high risk of complicated anticipatory grief. It was found that the predictors of age, gender, relationship to the family member with terminal cancer, the caregiving role played (i.e., primary vs. nonprimary), the satisfaction of needs by healthcare professionals, and family functioning play an important role in terms of one's risk of developing psychological morbidity.

Significance of results

This study revealed an alarming prevalence of psychological morbidity in family caregivers of individuals living with terminal cancer, making it crucial to move forward from a patient-centered approach to a family-centrad approach to reduce the risk of family maladjustment when facing the imminent death of a family member and to prevent postdeath unadjusted responses.

The Theory of Dyadic Illness Management

Despite the importance of both members of the adult patient-care partner dyad, a majority of research on illness management is focused on the patient or the care partner. The basic principle of the Theory of Dyadic Illness Management is that illness management is a dyadic phenomenon; the theory focuses extensively on the dyad as an interdependent team. The way dyads appraise illness as a unit influences the ways in which they engage in behaviors to manage illness together in a recursive fashion that influences dyadic health. Optimizing the health of both members of the dyad is a goal of the theory. In turn, the health of the dyad can feedback to influence how they appraise and manage illness together. Finally, dyadic illness management is an inherently variable process that is influenced by several contextual factors. Supportive evidence and implications for practice and future research are presented.

Participation of relatives in the care of cancer patients in hospital-A scoping review

The purpose of the review was to describe what kind of research has been conducted concerning relatives' participation in the care of cancer patients in hospital and how relatives have participated in the care. Data (n = 9) were identified through a manual search and by searching the electronic databases (n = 8) Cinahl, PubMed and Cochrane Library and analysed with deductive content analysis. According to the review, participation in the concrete care appeared as taking care of comprehensive care and the quality of care, helping with daily activities and helping the healthcare professionals. Emotional support appeared as protecting, supporting and visiting the patient and discussing with the patient. Participation in decision-making appeared as acting as an advocate for the patient, participating in the discussion concerning the decision-making and participating in the discussion concerning the decisions of end of life. According to the review, research concerning this topic seems to be rare. While hospital periods are shortening and homecare is increasing, the role of relatives as a supporter of the cancer patient is becoming even stronger. In the future, more research should be conducted how the patients experience participation and what are their wishes.

Quality of Life of Patients with Cancer: A Determinant of the Quality of Life of Their Family Caregivers

Cancer disrupts the quality of life of both the patients and their family caregivers. This study attempted to explore the relationship between the quality of life of cancer patients and their family caregivers and to examine whether the quality of life, age, and gender of the patients contributed to the quality of life of their family caregivers. This correlational study involved 206 pairs of participants consisting of cancer patients and their corresponding family caregivers. The European Organization for the Treatment and Research of Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (version 3) was administered on the patients and the Caregiver Quality of Life-Cancer was administered on their family caregivers. The result revealed that social functioning, appetite loss, physical functioning, and gender of the patients contributed significantly to the quality of life of their family caregivers. Implications, shortcomings, and future directions were discussed.

Communication Coaching: A Case Study of Family Caregiver Burden

BACKGROUND

Problematic communication among providers, patients, and their family members can affect the quality of patient care, causing stress to all parties involved and decreased opportunities for collaborative decision making.
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OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to present one case from a pilot study of a family caregiver intervention focused on communication. 
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METHODS

The nurse-delivered communication intervention includes a written communication guide for family caregivers, as well as a one-time nurse communication coaching call. The call is aimed at identifying caregiver communication concerns, providing communication education, and role playing problematic communication.
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FINDINGS

Psychological distress and caregiver confidence in communication were improved for the caregiver. Data presented from the case study demonstrate the need for family caregiver communication support and training and the potential benefits of such training.

The Roles of Dyadic Appraisal and Coping in Couples With Lung Cancer

Given the high symptom burden and low survivability of lung cancer, patients and their spouses have been found to experience poor mental health. The current study examined the roles of dyadic appraisal and dyadic coping on the mental health of 78 couples living with non-small cell lung cancer. Multilevel modeling revealed that spouses, on average, reported significantly worse mental health than patients. Dyadic appraisal and dyadic coping played important roles in predicting mental health, controlling for known developmental and contextual covariates. Dyadic appraisal of the patient's pain and fatigue was significantly associated with spouse mental health, albeit in opposite directions. Dyadic coping significantly predicted patient mental health. The study underlines the need to incorporate routine screening of both patient and spouse mental health, and highlights the complex role of appraisal within the couple in a life-threatening context. Viewing the couple as a unit, rather than separate individuals, raises important awareness about the role of disparate illness appraisals and coping strategies within the dyad on the health of both members. Nurses are particularly well situated to engage in a collaborative family-focused approach to the couple with cancer that promotes communication and health.

The influence of dyadic symptom distress on threat appraisals and self-efficacy in advanced cancer and caregiving

PURPOSE

Physical and psychological symptoms experienced by patients with advanced cancer influence their well-being; how patient and family caregiver symptom distress influence each other's well-being is less understood. This study examined the influence of patient and caregiver symptom distress on their threat appraisals and self-efficacy to cope with cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from an RCT that enrolled patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers (N = 484 dyads). Structural equation modeling and the actor-partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM) were used to examine two models: threat appraisals as a mediator of the relationship between symptom distress and individual and family-related self-efficacy; and, self-efficacy (individual and family dimensions) as mediators of the relationship between symptom distress and threat appraisals.

RESULTS

Data suggest the self-efficacy mediation model was the preferred model. More patient and caregiver symptom distress was directly associated with their own lower self-efficacy and more threatening appraisals. Patient and caregiver individual self-efficacy also mediated the relationship between their own symptom distress and threat appraisals. There were also significant interdependent effects. More patient symptom distress was associated with less caregiver family-related self-efficacy, and more caregiver symptom distress was directly associated with more threatening patient appraisals.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient and caregiver symptom distress influenced their own and in some cases each other's cognitive appraisals. Limitations of this study include the use of cross-sectional data and assessments of individually-focused (vs. family-focused) threat appraisals. These findings highlight the need to consider the management of patient and caregiver symptoms during advanced cancer.

Responding to challenging interactions with families: A training module for inpatient oncology nurses

INTRODUCTION

Sustaining the well-being of the caregiving family is a critical agenda in cancer care. In the multidisciplinary team, nurses often serve as a bridge between the family and oncology team. Evidence suggests that dealing with difficult family dynamics is a common source of stress for oncology nurses, yet nurses typically receive very little guidance on how to achieve an effective partnership with families under these circumstances. We report on the application and preliminary evaluation of a new training module for improving nurses' skills in responding collaborative to challenging family situations.

METHOD

Training was delivered to 282 inpatient oncology nurses at a comprehensive cancer center over 2 years. Posttraining surveys measured perceived changes in confidence working with families, as well as the utility and relevance of this training. A 6-month follow-up survey measured continued use of skills.

RESULTS

Of the nurses, 75%-90% reported that the skills learned were useful and relevant to their setting. Retrospective pre-post ratings suggested increased confidence in managing stressful encounters with families.

DISCUSSION

Further investigation is needed to observe how nurses transport these skills into their practice settings and to understand the role of the nurse-as-family champion within the larger multidisciplinary team. (PsycINFO Database Record

Promoting improved family caregiver health literacy: evaluation of caregiver communication resources

OBJECTIVES

Family caregivers of cancer patients have a vital role in facilitating and sharing information about cancer, revealing a need to develop caregiver health literacy skills to support caregiver communication. The goal of this study was to investigate caregiver print materials and develop and assess a new caregiver communication resource titled A Communication Guide for Caregivers^TM .

METHODS

Using a model of six domains of caregiver health literacy skills, print cancer education materials were collected and evaluated for caregiver communication support. A new caregiver communication resource was also developed and assessed by caregivers and healthcare providers. Caregivers reviewed content and assessed utility, relatability, and reading quality. Healthcare providers also assessed whether the material would be understandable and usable for cancer caregivers.

RESULTS

Only three of the 28 print materials evaluated were written at the recommended sixth grade reading level and only five addressed all six caregiver health literacy skills. Readability scores for A Communication Guide for Caregivers^TM were at the sixth grade level, and caregivers reported its contents were relatable, useful, and easy to read. Healthcare providers also rated the material as easy for patient/family members of diverse backgrounds and varying levels of literacy to understand and use.

CONCLUSIONS

Existing print-based caregiver education materials do not address caregivers' health literacy skill needs and are aimed at a highly literate caregiving population. A Communication Guide for Caregivers^TM meets health literacy standards and family caregiver and provider communication needs. The findings are relevant for healthcare professionals who provide cancer education. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preparing Patients and Partners for Recovery From the Side Effects of Prostate Cancer Surgery: A Group Approach

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the acceptance and knowledge attained in a preoperative psychoeducational group seminar for patients and partners. Education before radical prostatectomy (RP) helps patients set appropriate expectations for functional recovery. We hypothesized that the seminar would be acceptable and would facilitate learning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Men scheduled for RP from March 1, 2012, to July 31, 2013, were eligible, and partners were invited. The 2.5-hour interactive seminar included multidisciplinary presentations about surgery-related urinary and sexual outcomes, rehabilitation, and couples' work toward recovering sexual intimacy. A satisfaction and knowledge survey was administered immediately afterward. We analyzed demographic and satisfaction data with descriptive statistics and evaluated congruence of patients' and partners' knowledge responses using nonparametric statistics.

RESULTS

Of 618 patients scheduled, 426 patients and 342 partners attended; 323 couples provided complete data. Over 90% of participants found the seminar informative and 74% found a group setting comfortable; 84% found travel to the seminar burdensome. Most patients and partners (84% and 90%, respectively) expected some urinary incontinence and understood rehabilitation strategies to regain bladder control; 84% of patients and 78% of partners expected postsurgery sexual activity to be different and 73% of patients and 65% of partners expected surgery to make erections worse. Couples were incongruent regarding frequency of incontinence, likelihood of erectile dysfunction, and sex being different after surgery: patients were more realistic.

CONCLUSION

A preoperative psychoeducational group seminar on the recovery from RP side effects promotes realistic expectations and is acceptable to patients and partners. Incongruent couples may need further instruction after surgery. Web-based methodology could improve access and should be studied in future research.

Effect of an integrated cancer support team on caregiver satisfaction with end-of-life care

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To test the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary cancer support team (CST) on caregiver satisfaction with end-of-life (EOL) care for family members with advanced cancer.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental pre- and post-test tandem design.

SETTING

Outpatient clinics of a comprehensive cancer center in urban Cleveland, OH.

SAMPLE

106 family caregivers.

METHODS

Participants were enrolled into the control or CST group. Caregiver mood state and social support were measured at enrollment as well as at 3, 9, and 15 months, and satisfaction with EOL care was measured eight weeks after the patient's death.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Caregiver mood state, social support, and satisfaction with EOL care.

FINDINGS

The intervention made no statistically significant contribution to caregiver mood state or perception of social support. The intervention group reported higher satisfaction with overall EOL care as well as five specific areas of EOL satisfaction (i.e., pain relief, information about managing pain, speed in treating symptoms, information regarding side effects, and coordination of care).

CONCLUSIONS

The CST yielded improved EOL satisfaction.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Although the emotional impact of an impending loss of a loved one may not change with the provision of support, perception that a loved one was well cared for in the terminal phase of illness may have long-range benefits through the grieving process. Investigation of the long-range effects of satisfaction with EOL care on the grieving process is warranted.