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Li ZHJ, MacDonald K, Preston K, Giuliani M, Leung B, Melosky B, Simmons C, Hamilton S, Tinker A, Ingledew PA. Evaluating the childcare needs of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Support Care Cancer 2023; 31:463. [PMID: 37439947 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07923-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE About one-fifth of newly diagnosed cancer patients are parents to young children. These patients are at higher risk of psychosocial stress and inability to attend treatment due to having to balance their own healthcare needs with childcare duties. This study aims to explore the impact of childcare on cancer parents and elicit their perspectives on potential supports. The results could help inform the implementation of suitable childcare programs to remove this barrier in accessing care. METHODS Patients at a large Canadian cancer treatment center were screened by oncologists for having minor children at home. Secure electronic surveys were then distributed to consenting participants. Domains surveyed included patient demographics, childcare burden, impact on treatment, and preference for childcare supports. RESULTS The mean age of correspondents was 43.9 (range 33-54), 46 patients (92%) were female, and breast cancer was the most common primary tumor. The median number of children per correspondent was two, and their mean age was 8.4. Balancing childcare with cancer treatment had a significant impact on self-reported stress levels for most correspondents. Twenty (40%) participants had to reschedule and 7 (14%) participants missed at least one appointment due to childcare conflicts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to childcare resources decreased while childcare responsibilities increased. Three-quarters of correspondents reported that a flexible childcare would make it easier for them to adhere to appointment schedules. CONCLUSION Childcare is a significant psychosocial barrier for patients accessing cancer care. Our results indicate that most parents undergoing treatment may benefit from hospital-based childcare services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Hao Jim Li
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kenzie MacDonald
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katherine Preston
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Meredith Giuliani
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Radiation Medicine Program, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bonnie Leung
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Barbara Melosky
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christine Simmons
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah Hamilton
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anna Tinker
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paris-Ann Ingledew
- Department of Surgery, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Pritlove C, Dias LV. "You really need a whole community": a qualitative study of mothers' need for and experiences with childcare support during cancer treatment and recovery. Support Care Cancer 2022; 30:10051-10065. [PMID: 36227504 PMCID: PMC9559156 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-07399-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Purpose A cancer diagnosis poses unique challenges for moms with young children who must balance illness-management alongside existing paid (e.g., employment) and unpaid (e.g., domestic/caregiving) work. The goal of this study was to improve understanding of the support needs of mothers living with cancer and their experiences receiving psychosocial and childcare support from a community organization, the Nanny Angel Network (NAN). Methods Mothers who accessed NAN services during their cancer treatment and/or recovery (N = 20) participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to inductively and deductively identify emerging patterns in the data and theoretical abduction was applied to further interpret participants’ accounts using a feminist political economy framework. Results Participants expressed how balancing the demands of patienthood and parenthood was challenging and how cancer treatment created new needs for support with care work. Mothers explained that NAN offered indispensable family-centered support largely missing from the health care system, promoting improved physical, psychosocial, and relational health for them and their families. While accessible from a cost-perspective, participants identified different pathways, including awareness, cross-system collaboration, and stable funding, that limited timely access to NAN. Conclusion Access to family-centered care, such as that offered through NAN, was vital to the health and healing of the study participants and their families. Improved collaboration with and investment in community organizations like NAN that have a strong infrastructure to support moms living with cancer offers a practical, feasible, and immediate solution to help address some of the distinct challenges this population faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Pritlove
- Applied Health Research Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, The University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
| | - Lisa V Dias
- Applied Health Research Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
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Yang S, Guo W, Gong Y, Wang J, Chen L, Zhao J, Guo X, Bai J, Song Y. Application of vitamin A palmitate eye gel and nurse value of Watson's theory of caring in children with dry eye after strabismus surgery: a randomized trial. Transl Pediatr 2021; 10:2335-2346. [PMID: 34733674 PMCID: PMC8506051 DOI: 10.21037/tp-21-385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After strabismus surgery, the local swelling of conjunctival wound will affect the uniform distribution of tears on the ocular surface, and the inflammatory reaction will affect the stability of tear film, which will easily lead to iatrogenic dry eye. This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin A palmitate (VAP) eye gel application in dry eye and the advantages of Watson's theory of caring. METHODS Two hundred and forty children with dry eye after strabismus surgery treated in our hospital from September 2018 to September 2020 were selected as the study subjects, and were randomly divided into control group and observation group according to the allocation ratio of 1:1. Watson's theory of care nursing was applied in the observation group, and VAP eye gel was additionally dropped into the eye. Mouse conjunctival goblet cells (GCs) were used to detect the effect of VAP on the growth of GCs. Treatment compliance, improvement of dry eye symptoms [Schirmer I test (SIT), tear film break-up time (BUT), and fluorescent staining (FL) score], inflammatory factor levels in tears, clinical efficacy, and parents' satisfaction were compared. RESULTS It was found that VAP eye gel could better promote the proliferation of GCs. After nursing and clinical treatment, the dry eye symptoms were improved in all included children, and improvements in the SIT, BUT, and FL scores were more obvious in the observation group. Watson's theory of care nursing could effectively improve the children's treatment compliance and parents' satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS As a result, the application of VAP eye gel and Watson's theory of care nursing could effectively reduce the occurrence of dry eye after strabismus surgery, and were of great importance for improving the relationship between nurses and patients and building a harmonious hospital. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100049136.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suling Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Weina Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Logistic Support Forces of the Chinese People's Liberation Army 980 Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuexing Gong
- Department of Nursing, Shijiazhuang Medical College, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jiancang Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingcong Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiting Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Logistic Support Forces of the Chinese People's Liberation Army 980 Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yanxia Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
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Mapping childcare support for patients at a sample of North American hospitals and cancer centers: an environmental scan. Support Care Cancer 2021; 30:593-601. [PMID: 34347184 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06460-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Approximately a quarter of cancer patients are parents to young children. One unique challenge faced by this patient group is the difficulty of accessing childcare support during medical appointments. Hospital-based childcare options could represent a solution to this problem, but to this point, no comprehensive scans have described existing on-site childcare centers. The purpose of this study is to identify and characterize on-site childcare services available to patients at selected North American hospitals. This information could inform the development of similar programs for cancer patients. METHODS Using publicly available information, an environmental scan of the grey literature was conducted to investigate Canadian and American hospitals for the presence of childcare services. A standardized data collection tool was used to extract center characteristics. RESULTS Twenty-six childcare centers were identified across 161 hospitals in both Canada and the USA, with 8/55 Canadian hospitals and 18/106 American hospitals having patient-accessible on-site services. The majority of the centers were associated with pediatric hospitals (77%). Only a single childcare center was associated with a cancer hospital. All centers accommodated children between the ages of 3 and 8. Most centers were open for over 30 h per week (77%) and were free of charge to users (89%). Other characteristics, including capacity and staffing, varied widely. CONCLUSIONS These results represent an inventory of patient-accessible, on-site childcare services currently available at selected North American hospitals. Cancer patients who are also parents may especially benefit from this kind of support.
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Aleshire ME, Adegboyega A, Escontrías OA, Edward J, Hatcher J. Access to Care as a Barrier to Mammography for Black Women. Policy Polit Nurs Pract 2021; 22:28-40. [PMID: 33076774 PMCID: PMC8175007 DOI: 10.1177/1527154420965537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Racial disparities in breast cancer screening, morbidity, and mortality persist for Black women. This study examines Black women's mammography beliefs and experiences with specific focus on barriers to mammography access in an urban city in the South East, United States. This retrospective, qualitative study used Penchansky and Thomas' conceptualization of health care access as the framework for the data analysis. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 39 Black women. Structural and personal factors continue to create barriers to mammography among Black women. Barriers to mammography were identified for each of the Penchansky and Thomas five dimensions of access to care: accessibility, affordability, availability, accommodation, and acceptability. Clinical practice strategies to increase mammography screening in Black women must be multifactorial, patient-centered, and culturally congruent. Policy development must address the structural barriers to mammography screening through expansion of health insurance coverage and increased accessibility to health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie E. Aleshire
- School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
| | | | - Omar A. Escontrías
- Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Phoenix, United States
| | - Jean Edward
- College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States
| | - Jennifer Hatcher
- Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Phoenix, United States
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Warner E. When the patient is also a carer. CURRENT ONCOLOGY (TORONTO, ONT.) 2017; 24:215-216. [PMID: 28874887 DOI: 10.3747/co.24.3758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
When I first went into practice, my preferred referral was a patient under age 50 with a potentially curable malignancy [...]
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Affiliation(s)
- E Warner
- Division of Medical Oncology, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON
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