Skills, knowledge and attributes of support group leaders: A systematic review

'If you want something to happen, you have to do it yourself': Understanding rural Australian's perspectives of health volunteering

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Rurality is associated with poorer health outcomes and access to health services, yet a strength of rural living includes community cohesion indicated by high rates of volunteering. While volunteerism is an effective means to target health needs in resource-restricted contexts, research on volunteerism to address rural Australian health needs is limited. This research aimed to explore rural adults' perspectives of volunteerism in local activities and programs that had a direct health related benefit (health volunteering).

METHODS

Eight people from the Murray Mallee region of South Australia participated during April 2021, ranging in age from 32 to 75 years. Participants were invited to one-on-one interviews that occurred via a phone call or teleconference meeting, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim to facilitate thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Seven main themes emerged. Participants identified that (1) health volunteering takes many forms, (2) health volunteering affords local ownership and accessibility, (3) health volunteers have particular skills and values, but also (4) gain social benefits and learn new skills. Rural health volunteering was also associated with (5) a variety of personal costs, and (6) there are several environmental barriers and (7) facilitators to rural health volunteering that should be considered when designing health programs.

CONCLUSION

Results provide insight into how rural communities can enhance the development and application of volunteering roles to support health volunteering. SO WHAT?: Including local champions, reducing the financial burden and developing support networks for volunteers are practical suggestions to enhance levels of volunteering for health in rural settings.

Engaging with peers to integrate community care: Knowledge synthesis and conceptual map

CONTEXT

Engaging with peers is gaining increasing interest from healthcare systems in numerous countries. Peers are people who offer support by drawing on lived experiences of significant challenges or 'insider' knowledge of communities. Growing evidence suggests that peers can serve as a bridge between underserved communities and care providers across sectors, through their ability to build trust and relationships. Peer support is thus seen as an innovative way to address core issues of formal healthcare, particularly fragmentation of care and health inequalities. The wide body of approaches, goals and models of peer support speaks volumes of such interest. Navigating the various labels used to name peers, however, can be daunting. Similar terms often hide critical differences.

OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND

This article seeks to disentangle the conceptual multiplicity of peer support, presenting a conceptual map based on a 3-year knowledge synthesis project involving peers and programme stakeholders in Canada, and international scientific and grey literature.

SYNTHESIS/MAIN RESULTS

The map introduces six key questions to navigate and situate peer support approaches according to peers' roles, pathways and settings of practice, regardless of the terms used to label them. As a tool, it offers a broad overview of the different ways peers contribute to integrating health and community care.

DISCUSSION

We conclude by discussing the map's potential and limitations to establish a common language and bridge models, in support of knowledge exchange among practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Our team includes one experienced peer support worker. She contributed to the design of the conceptual map and the production of the manuscript. More than 10 peers working across Canada were also involved during research meetings to validate and refine the conceptual map.

Professionally led support groups for people living with advanced or metastatic cancer: a systematic scoping review of effectiveness and factors critical to implementation success within real-world healthcare and community settings

PURPOSE

To examine the effectiveness of professionally led support groups for people with advanced or metastatic cancer, and identify factors critical to implementation success within real-world settings.

METHODS

Databases (MEDLINE; PsychINFO; CINAHL) and grey literature were searched for empirical publications and evaluations. Articles were screened for eligibility and data systematically extracted, charted and summarised using a modified scoping review methodology. Implementation factors were mapped using Proctor's implementation framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0.

RESULTS

A total of 1691 publications were identified; 19 were eligible for inclusion (8 randomised controlled trials, 7 qualitative studies, 2 cohort studies, 2 mixed methods studies). Most (n=18) studies focused on tumour-specific support groups. Evidence supported professionally led support groups in reducing mood disturbances (n=5), distress (i.e. traumatic stress, depression) (n=4) and pain (n=2). Other benefits included social connectedness (n=6), addressing existential distress (n=5), information and knowledge (n=6), empowerment and sense of control (n=2), relationships with families (n=2) and communication with health professionals (n=2). Thirteen studies identified factors predicting successful adoption, implementation or sustainment, including acceptability (n=12; 63%), feasibility (n=6; 32%) and appropriateness (n=1; 5%). Key determinants of successful implementation included group leaders' skills/experience, mode of operation, travelling distance, group composition and membership and resourcing.

CONCLUSIONS

Professionally led tumour-specific support groups demonstrate effectiveness in reducing mood disturbances, distress and pain among patients. Successful implementation hinges on factors such as leadership expertise, operational methods and resource allocation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Professionally led support groups may fill an important gap in supportive care for people with advanced or metastatic cancer.

Prostate cancer peer navigation: an observational study on navigators' well-being, benefit finding, and program satisfaction

PURPOSE

The study investigated peer and caregiver navigators' motivations for providing support, i.e., benefit finding, their mental and physical health, and program satisfaction.

METHODS

A web-based peer navigation program was conducted for prostate cancer patients and caregivers over a 6-month time period. In a one-arm observational study, peer and caregiver navigators were asked to complete standardized mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Cancer Worry Scale), quality of life (EQ-5D-5L, EQ-VAS), and social support (ENRICHD Social Support Instrument) scales pre- and post-intervention and questionnaires addressing motivations, benefits, and program satisfaction post-intervention.

RESULTS

Both peer and caregiver navigators reported very low anxiety and depressive symptoms across time. Cancer worry increased over time with 25% of participants exceeding the symptom threshold at baseline and 33% at follow-up. Quality of life was very high but slightly decreased over time (90.0% vs. 84.4%; p = .005), indicative of a greater number of navigators reporting pain/discomfort at follow-up. Social support was high (86.9% vs. 85.9%) and remained so. Top five role endorsements were (1) a feeling of belonging, (2) being involved in something good, (3) giving back, (4) feeling better as a person, and (5) improved communication skills. Program satisfaction was very high with support from program staff rated highest.

CONCLUSIONS

The study indicates that peer and caregiver navigators exhibited favorable physical and mental health across time. Furthermore, they experienced several benefits from navigation including a sense of meaning and the wish to give back. Results suggest that support provision within the peer and caregiver navigation program has also salutary effects for navigators.

Peer Supporters' Experience of Supporting Cancer Patients: A Meta-synthesis

BACKGROUND

With the widespread use of peer support in the cancer field, more and more cancer survivors are becoming supporters. However, they may bear a huge psychological burden in the peer support project. There has been little effort to analyze supporters' experiences from a meta-perspective.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to review the literature on the experience of patients serving as peer supporters, integrate qualitative data to explore the experiences of supporters participating in peer support programs, and provide suggestions for future researchers.

INTERVENTIONS/METHODS

China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened. Included articles (n = 10) underwent data extraction, the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative researches (2016) quality evaluation, and thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

The literature ultimately included 10 studies from which 29 themes were distilled and grouped into 2 main categories: benefits and challenges of peer support for supporters.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer supporters will not only gain social support, growth, and recovery but also experience various challenges when providing peer support. Both supporters' and patients' experiences of participating in peer support programs deserve the attention of researchers. Researchers need to be rigorous in controlling the implementation of peer support programs to help supporters gain and overcome challenges.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Future researchers can use study findings to better develop peer support programs. More peer support projects are needed to explore a standardized peer support training guide.

How do peer support interventions for the self-management of chronic pain, support basic psychological needs? A systematic review and framework synthesis using self-determination theory

OBJECTIVE

To identify how peer support interventions, for self-management of chronic pain, support basic psychological needs from a self-determination theory (SDT) perspective, using a systematic review.

METHODS

Ten databases were searched for studies reporting qualitative research about peer interactions in pain management interventions. 'Best fit' framework synthesis methodology was applied to identify strategies that support the satisfaction of competence, autonomy and motivation. These were matched to definitions of strategies provided by standardised taxonomies.

RESULTS

18 studies were selected for inclusion. The synthesis resulted in a conceptual model, identifying 12 peer strategies that support psychological needs for self-management of chronic pain; 10 overlapped with existing taxonomies.

CONCLUSION

This was the first known attempt to synthesise evidence about peer support strategies for people living with pain, using SDT as an a priori framework. The model demonstrates commonality between the motivation-promoting processes of peer support and those of other behaviour change interventions and identifies additional unique strategies provided by peers. This systematic classification of peer support strategies provides a means for future study of the efficacy and comprehensiveness of peer interventions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The model could assist healthcare professionals and support groups to optimise the potential of peer processes.

[Need for Further Training for Function Holders of Cancer Self-Help Organizations]

OBJECTIVE

As part of the Center for Competence Development in Cancer Self-Help at the University Medical Center Freiburg, an analysis of the need for training and education was conducted among the member organizations of the House of the Cancer Patient Support Associations of Germany (HKSH).

METHODS

The online survey took place from February to April 2021 and was completed by functionaries at various organization levels and group members. In a questionnaire developed together with self-help representatives 19 potential training topics were ranked in terms of importance. In addition, it was indicated whether the respective topic was perceived as sufficiently covered by already existing qualification offers. Using a forced-choice approach, respondents finally named the five most important topics for them.

RESULTS

The topics that a particularly high proportion of the N=293 respondents identified as "very important" and which at the same time were perceived as inadequately addressed by existing qualification offers were dealing with stressful issues (e. g. relapse, metastases, dying), recruiting new members and successors for association tasks, socio-legal aspects, as well as conversational and communication skills. In the prioritization of the five most important topics, the first three topics were named again, with dealing with excessive demands and assistance for self-care/burnout prevention following in fourth place and in the fifth place the topics of knowledge in dealing with complementary medicine and knowledge of professional care structures in oncology, each with the same number of votes.

DISCUSSION

There was a clear need for a broad range of training topics that goes beyond the existing offers of the cancer self-help organizations. Through the needs analysis, the topics could be identified which are prioritized as training topics across all ten member organizations of the HKSH.

CONCLUSION

Based on this needs assessment, the respective training courses can be prioritized and implemented in cooperation with the patient representatives of the HKSH.

Rare, epilepsy-related disorder including intellectual disability - A scoping review of caregivers' identified information needs

AIMS

The aims of this review were: (1) to obtain an overview of caregiver-reported information needs; and (2) to investigate if there are information needs that are unique for caregivers of persons with rare epilepsies.

METHOD

We followed the scoping review framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley and the preferred reporting items outlined by PRISMA.

RESULTS

Among the 17 articles that met the inclusion criteria, 5 included caregivers of persons with rare epilepsies. Categories of information needs: (1) Medical information; (2) Information on how to cope with emotional distress; (3) Experiential information from peers; and (4) Interdisciplinary information exchange. The need for disorder-specific information seemed particularly important for caregivers of persons with rare epilepsies.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for further studies, particularly on formal caregivers' information needs.

Family doctors’ attitudes toward peer support programs for type 2 diabetes and/or coronary artery disease: an exploratory survey among German practitioners

Background

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are chronic illnesses where adherence to a healthy lifestyle is crucial. If organisational and cultural factors are well managed, Peer support programs (PSP) can improve self-management, quality of life, and health outcomes. In preparation for launching a PSP, we surveyed family doctors (FD) about their attitudes toward such a program and about potential barriers, and facilitators.

Methods

In March 2020 we surveyed 896 FDs from five university teaching practice networks in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany, via an anonymous web-based survey. The questionnaire addressed details of PSPs, including suitable patients and FDs‘role. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics; qualitative material underwent content analysis by two researchers.

Results

A total of 165 FDs responded (response rate: 18.4%), 97% were practice owners. Respondents viewed PSPs positively (T2D: 92.0%, CAD 89.9%), especially for patients with poor self-structuring (82.7%), low motivation (76.3%) and few social contacts (67.6%). On average, FDs were able to identify 4.0 ± 3.2 patients as potential group leaders. Major facilitators reported included motivation by peers (92.5%), exercise (79.1%), and social contacts (70.1%). Waning interest over time (73.1%) and poor motivation (70.9%) were considered barriers. The majority of FDs would recommend PSPs to their patients (89.5%). They considered such a program a valuable addition to current care (79.7%). The percentage of FDs’ who expected long-term benefits for their workload was relatively low (37.6%).

Conclusions

In an exploratory survey among German FDs on PSPs, respondents viewed PSPs as a valuable add-on for T2D and CAD patients, while not expecting a positive impact on their workload. Communication with FDs on PSPs may need to highlight anticipated implementation outcomes such as benefits of PSPs to the practice.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-022-01827-3.

Empowerment in cancer patients: Does peer support make a difference? A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Empowerment is critical for cancer patients to make informed choices, to manage medication, and to navigate through the oncological care system. Cancer peer support provides patients with information, emotional relief and may promote empowerment. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature examining the impact of cancer peer support interventions on psychological empowerment.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and PSYNDEX databases were systematically searched from inception until December 2020. We included quantitative studies, published in English or German, which examined peer-led cancer support interventions and their impact on the three components of psychological empowerment (intrapersonal, interactional and behavioural) among participating cancer patients.

RESULTS

Database searches and screening of relevant reference lists identified 2336 potentially relevant articles. A total of 29 studies were included in the review. Active coping, self-efficacy and knowledge were the most prominent dimensions of empowerment in these studies. The majority of studies revealed that peer support led to a small to medium, significant increase in psychological empowerment, and was associated with further patient-reported benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

The existing evidence suggests a weak to moderate, positive association between cancer peer support and the three components of psychological empowerment among cancer patients. Peer support groups should be seen as an important element in cancer care and clinical practice and, thus, be more systematically involved in cancer care.

Responding to the Psychological Needs of Health-Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Study from the Medical College of Wisconsin

With the advent of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, health-care workers have been faced with an inordinately high level of trauma as frontline providers. The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) partnered with affiliate hospitals and community partners to mobilize a matrix of available support and interventions to deliver psychological services to reach all levels of health-care providers in timely, accessible formats. While virtual peer support groups were the most utilized resource among the support group options, other opportunities also provided unique benefits to learners whose education had been disrupted by the pandemic. Mental health must be prioritized for health-care workers in the event of future public health crises. Lessons learned from this pandemic indicate that it is critical to involve learners early on in the process in order to meet their educational needs and to increase access to evidence-based care.

Effective Peer Leader Attributes for the Promotion of Walking in Older Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Peer-led interventions are promising for the promotion of physical activity behavior in older adults. However, little is known about the attributes of effective older peer leaders in such intervention programs. The objective was to determine what older adults perceive to be effective peer leader attributes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design was used. Participants, aged 60 years and older, were recruited from retirement villages and existing walking groups in Western Australia. They were predominantly white, Australian-born, female, healthy retirees. The sample consisted of four groups of older adults: those who had taken part in past peer-led walking programs (experienced walkers; n = 18), those interested in joining as walkers in a peer-led walking intervention (inexperienced walkers; n = 43), those interested to take on a peer leader role (inexperienced peer leaders; n = 25), and those who had already served as peer leaders (experienced peer leaders; n = 15). Questionnaires measured perceived effective leadership attributes, and physical activity was measured using ActivPAL devices (N = 101; Mage [SD] = 75.36 [7.59]). Semistructured interviews were conducted with the majority of participants (N = 68; Mage [SD] = 74.68 [7.78]).

RESULTS

Overall, participants described an effective peer leader as optimistic, compassionate, and friendly, but differences in perceptions were apparent between the groups.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings advance knowledge about important characteristics of an effective older peer leader, which can inform peer leader training, recruitment of peer leaders, and future scale development.

Using a Collaborative, Virtual Discussion Platform to Mobilize Oncologic Expertise for the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE

COVID-19 is a rapidly emerging worldwide pandemic that has drastically changed health care across the United States. Oncology patients are especially vulnerable. Novel point-of-care resources may be useful to rapidly disseminate peer-reviewed information from oncology experts nationwide. We describe our initial experience with distributing this information through a private, curated, virtual collaboration question-and-answer (Q&A) platform for oncologists.

METHODS

The Q&A database was queried for a 2-month period from March 12 to May 12, 2020. We collected the total number of views and unique viewers for the questions. We classified the questions according to their emphasis (practice management, clinical management, both) and disease type across radiation oncology, medical oncology, gynecologic oncology, and pediatric oncology.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine questions were approved, 67 of which were answered and generated 49,494 views with 5,148 unique viewers. Most discussions covered clinical management, with breast cancer being the most active disease site. Ten questions covered pediatric oncology and gynecologic oncology. Forty-seven percent of the 11,010 users of the platform visited the website during the 2-month period.

CONCLUSION

Discussions on the Q&A platform reached a substantial number of oncologists throughout the nation and may help oncologists to modify their treatment in real time with the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Training prostate cancer survivors and caregivers to be peer navigators: a blended online/in-person competency-based training program

PURPOSE

Cancer navigation improves access to support and reduces barriers to care; however, appropriate training of navigators is essential. We developed the TrueNTH Peer Navigation Training Program (PNTP), a competency-based, blended online/in-person course. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the PNTP among prostate cancer (PC) survivors (patients, caregivers).

METHODS

We employed an explanatory mixed method study design consisting of course usage data, pre-/post-questionnaires, and focus groups informed by the Kirkpatrick framework and self-efficacy theory.

RESULTS

Three cohorts in two Canadian cities (n = 26) received the PNTP. Participants were motivated to support others like themselves (n = 20), fill a gap (n = 7), pay it forward (n = 6), and offer expertise (n = 4). Recruitment, retention, and questionnaire completion were 96.7%, 89.6%, and 92%. Participants contributed a total of 426 posts to the online forums (2 to 3 posts per participant/module). Satisfaction was 9.4/10 (SD = 0.7) and usability was 84.5/100 (SD = 10.1). All learning outcomes increased: understanding of learning objectives t(23) = - 6.12, p < 0.0001; self-efficacy to perform competencies t(23) = - 4.8, p < 0.0001; and eHealth literacy t(23) = - 4.4, p < 0.0001. Participants viewed the PTNP as intensive but manageable, improving knowledge and confidence and enhancing listening skills. Participants valued the flexibility of online learning, interactive online learning, in-person interactions for relationship building, and authentic role-playing for skill development.

CONCLUSIONS

A facilitated online training program with in-person components is a highly acceptable and effective format to train PC survivors to become peer navigators. This competency-based peer navigator training program and delivery format may serve as a useful model for other cancer volunteer programs.

Training Neurodegenerative Disease Support Group Leaders: A New Support Group Functioning Scale

Support group leaders play pivotal roles in maintaining healthy community support groups; however, these leaders also have personal support needs and typically lack formal training in managing complex behaviors of neurodegenerative disorders. A support group well-being questionnaire, assessing support group functioning, was developed and piloted among participants of an educational training program designed for support group leaders of various neurodegenerative disorder-specific support groups. An exploratory factor analysis evaluated the questionnaire’s psychometric properties and identified a reliable single factor five-item solution, which was titled the Support Group Functioning Scale (SGFS). Preliminary interpretation guidelines were proposed. Development of this scale is a first step in identifying support group leaders’ needs as they provide frontline assistance to caregivers and individuals with neurodegenerative illnesses. This tool shows promise as an efficient way to identify support groups in need of assistance and to assess the impact of trainings on support group functioning. Further validation of the scale is needed.

Lean leadership attributes: a systematic review of the literature

Purpose

Emphasis on quality and reducing costs has led many health-care organizations to reconfigure their management, process, and quality control infrastructures. Many are lean, a management philosophy with roots in manufacturing industries that emphasizes elimination of waste. Successful lean implementation requires systemic change and strong leadership. Despite the importance of leadership to successful lean implementation, few researchers have probed the question of ideal leadership attributes to achieve lean thinking in health care. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into applicable attributes for lean leaders in health care.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors systematically reviewed the literature on principles of leadership and, using Dombrowski and Mielke’s (2013) conceptual model of lean leadership, developed a parallel theoretical model for lean leadership in health care.

Findings

This work contributes to the development of a new framework for describing leadership attributes within lean management of health care.

Originality/value

The summary of attributes can provide a model for health-care leaders to apply lean in their organizations.

Expertise, advocacy and activism: A qualitative study on the activities of prostate cancer peer support workers

Peer support workers are now working with patients in a variety of settings, coming into close contact and even work alongside health professionals. Despite the potentially influential position peer support workers hold in relation to those engaged in support activities, their role, duties and their relationship to peers and health professionals lack clarity and is often defined by other actors. This study explores how peer support workers interpret and define the activities, responsibilities and knowledge associated with their work. Using methods of membership categorisation analysis, we analysed interview materials generated by conducting individual semi-structured interviews during the autumn of 2016 with prostate cancer peer support workers (n = 11) who currently volunteer as support workers in Finland. Although the peer support workers acknowledged the psychosocial aspects of the work, we argue that their interpretations extend far beyond this and encompass expertise, advocacy and activism as central features of their work. These can be used to strengthen their position as credible commentators and educators on issues relating to cancer and men's health; raise awareness and represent the 'patient's voice' and attempt to influence both policy and clinical practice. These findings suggest that by categorising their work activities in different ways, voluntary sector actors such as peer support workers can attempt to portray themselves as legitimate authorities on a range of issues and influence decision-making ranging from individual level treatment decisions all the way to health policy.

Exploring Member-Leader Behaviors and Interaction in an Online Support Group

Online support groups are a common way for people to receive social support. Utilizing online support sites allows members to connect with people in similar situations, without the need for geographic proximity. Many online groups rely on member-leaders, or individuals with personal experience, to lead groups. These member-leaders are often favored by members over professional leaders but often lack training in leadership. This project explored how member-leaders interact in an online support group. This article uses both interaction process analysis (IPA) and research on leader behaviors to understand how member-leaders communicate in online support groups. Results show that leaders primarily use task messages, with the majority of leader behaviors labeled as meaning attribution and use of self. Member-leaders primarily focused on perspective taking rather than discussion facilitation. An examination of the task and relational interaction profile in terms of leader behaviors is also explored.

Expert agreed standards for the selection and development of cancer support group leaders: an online reactive Delphi study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to develop pragmatic, consensus-based minimum standards for the role of a cancer support group leader. Secondly, to produce a structured interview designed to assess the knowledge, skills and attributes of the individuals who seek to undertake the role.

METHODS

An expert panel of 73 academics, health professionals, cancer agency workers and cancer support group leaders were invited to participate in a reactive online Delphi study involving three online questionnaire rounds. Participants determined and ranked requisite knowledge, skills and attributes (KSA) for cancer support group leaders, differentiated ideal from required KSA to establish minimum standards, and agreed on a method of rating KSA to determine suitability and readiness.

RESULTS

Forty-five experts (62%) participated in round 1, 36 (49%) in round 2 and 23 (31%) in round 3. In round 1, experts confirmed 59 KSA identified via a systemic review and identified a further 55 KSA. In round 2, using agreement ≥75%, 52 KSA emerged as minimum standards for support group leaders. In round 3, consensus was reached on almost every aspect of the content and structure of a structured interview. Panel member comments guided refinement of wording, re-ordering of questions and improvement of probing questions.

CONCLUSIONS

Alongside a novel structured interview, the first consensus-based minimum standards have been developed for cancer support group leaders, incorporating expert consensus and pragmatic considerations. Pilot and field testing will be used to appraise aspects of clinical utility and establish a rational scoring model for the structured interview.

Pragmatic, consensus-based minimum standards and structured interview to guide the selection and development of cancer support group leaders: a protocol paper

INTRODUCTION

Across the globe, peer support groups have emerged as a community-led approach to accessing support and connecting with others with cancer experiences. Little is known about qualities required to lead a peer support group or how to determine suitability for the role. Organisations providing assistance to cancer support groups and their leaders are currently operating independently, without a standard national framework or published guidelines. This protocol describes the methods that will be used to generate pragmatic consensus-based minimum standards and an accessible structured interview with user manual to guide the selection and development of cancer support group leaders.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will: (A) identify and collate peer-reviewed literature that describes qualities of support group leaders through a systematic review; (B) content analyse eligible documents for information relevant to requisite knowledge, skills and attributes of group leaders generally and specifically to cancer support groups; (C) use an online reactive Delphi method with an interdisciplinary panel of experts to produce a clear, suitable, relevant and appropriate structured interview comprising a set of agreed questions with behaviourally anchored rating scales; (D) produce a user manual to facilitate standard delivery of the structured interview; (E) pilot the structured interview to improve clinical utility; and (F) field test the structured interview to develop a rational scoring model and provide a summary of existing group leader qualities.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study is approved by the Department Human Ethics Advisory Group of The University of Melbourne. The study is based on voluntary participation and informed written consent, with participants able to withdraw at any time. The results will be disseminated at research conferences and peer review journals. Presentations and free access to the developed structured interview and user manual will be available to cancer agencies.