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Rimmer B, Balla M, Dutton L, Lewis J, Burns R, Gallagher P, Williams S, Araújo-Soares V, Finch T, Sharp L. 'A Constant Black Cloud': The Emotional Impact of Informal Caregiving for Someone With a Lower-Grade Glioma. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:227-238. [PMID: 37967320 PMCID: PMC10768339 DOI: 10.1177/10497323231204740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Those closest to people with lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) often assume the role of informal caregiver (IC). The additional responsibilities mean ICs of people with cancer can experience adverse impacts on their own lives. We explored the emotional impact of informal caregiving for people with LGGs. This was a descriptive qualitative study within the multi-method Ways Ahead project. We conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals from the United Kingdom, who currently, or in the past 5 years, informally cared for someone with an LGG. Interviews encompassed experiences of emotional impact as a consequence of caregiving for someone with an LGG. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken. We interviewed 19 ICs (mean age 54.6 years; 14 females, 5 males). Participants reported substantial emotional impact. Four themes and associated subthemes were generated: Emotional responses to the illness (e.g. feeling helpless), Emotional responses to the unknown (e.g. anxiety about future uncertainty), Emotional consequences of care recipient changes (e.g. challenges of changed relationship dynamics), and Emotional weight of the responsibility (e.g. feeling burnout). Emotional impact in one area often exacerbated impact in another (e.g. future uncertainty impacted feelings of helplessness). Participants detailed the factors that helped them manage the emotional impact (e.g. being resilient). ICs of people with LGGs can experience wide-ranging emotional responses to and impacts of the illness, uncertain prognosis, care recipient changes, and the toll of caregiving. Adjustment and resilience are key protective factors, though further consideration of ways to identify and fulfil the emotional support needs of ICs of people with LGGs is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Rimmer
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Michelle Balla
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Lizzie Dutton
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Joanne Lewis
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Richéal Burns
- Faculty of Science, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland
- Health and Biomedical Strategic Research Centre, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland
| | | | - Sophie Williams
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Vera Araújo-Soares
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
- Centre for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health, Department for Prevention of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tracy Finch
- Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| | - Linda Sharp
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
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Stabile C, McCready T, Ancker JS, Pusic A, Temple LKF, Vickers A, Simon B, Ashby C, Carter J. A qualitative analysis of caregiver burden during the recovery process in ambulatory cancer surgery. Support Care Cancer 2022; 30:5713-5721. [PMID: 35318529 PMCID: PMC10107336 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-06991-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer impacts caregivers as well as patients. Ambulatory oncology surgeries requiring a short hospital stay place additional responsibility on informal caregivers as they help patients navigate their post-operative recovery at home, and determine if symptoms are expected or emergent. Our objective was to explore the experience of informal caregivers during patients' ambulatory cancer surgery and then recovery at home with remote monitoring of symptoms via web-based patient-reported outcomes questionnaire ("Recovery Tracker"). METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers from a larger sample participating in a randomized trial of the Recovery Tracker. Thematic analysis was applied to derive key themes and codes via NVivo qualitative analysis software (QSR International Inc.). Recruitment was conducted iteratively to ensure a heterogenous sample and thematic saturation. RESULTS Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted. Four main themes emerged: (1) Predictability reduced stress among caregivers; (2) Unexpected events caused stress for caregivers; (3) The importance of a caregiver being present during the recovery process; and (4) Caregiver involvement in remote monitoring of symptoms was minimal. CONCLUSION Caregivers report not being overly burdened by the ambulatory surgery process, but they are very sensitive to any deviations from what they expected to happen. Further research and clinical practice on caregivers in the ambulatory setting should focus on how to set expectations and avoid unexpected events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Stabile
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Taylor McCready
- Josie Robertson Surgery Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica S Ancker
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Andrea Pusic
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larissa K F Temple
- Colorectal Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Andrew Vickers
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brett Simon
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina Ashby
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeanne Carter
- Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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