Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T00:13:40.843Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Impact of informal cancer caregiving across the cancer experience: A systematic literature review of quality of life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2019

Carol Y. Ochoa Open the ORCID record for Carol Y. Ochoa [Opens in a new window] ,
Natasha Buchanan Lunsford  and
Judith Lee Smith
Carol Y. Ochoa*
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Atlanta, GA, USA Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Natasha Buchanan Lunsford
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Atlanta, GA, USA
Judith Lee Smith
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Atlanta, GA, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Carol Y. Ochoa, M.P.H, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA90033. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Informal caregiving may likely increase as the number of cancer survivors grows. Caregiving responsibilities can impact caregivers’ quality of life (QOL). Understanding the current state of the science regarding caregiving QOL could help inform future research and intervention development.

Methods

A systematic literature review in PubMed/Medline examined research on QOL among informal cancer caregivers and related psychosocial health outcomes. Original research articles in English, published between 2007 and 2017 about caregivers (aged >18 years) of adult cancer patients in the United States were included. Abstracted articles were categorized according to caregiving recipient's phase of survivorship (acute, middle to long-term, end of life/bereavement).

Results

Of 920 articles abstracted, 60 met inclusion criteria. Mean caregiver age ranged from 37 to 68 with the majority being female, non-Hispanic white, with at least a high school degree, and middle income. Almost half of the studies focused on caregivers who provided care for survivors from diagnosis through the end of active treatment. Studies examined physical health, spirituality, psychological distress, and social support. Differences in QOL were noted by caregiver age, sex, and employment status.

Significance of Results

Additional research includes the examination of the needs of diverse cancer caregivers and determines how additional caregiver characteristics (e.g., physical functioning, financial burden, etc.) affect QOL. This includes studies examining caregiver QOL in the phases following the cessation of active treatment and assessments of health systems, support services, and insurance to determine barriers and facilitators needed to meet the immediate and long-term needs of cancer caregivers.

Keywords

cancerinformal caregiversquality of lifesocial supportspirituality
Type
Review Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , April 2020 , pp. 220 - 240
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving (2015) 2015 Report: Caregiving in the US. The National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP Public Policy Institute. Available at: http://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015_CaregivingintheUS_Final-Report-June-4_WEB.pdf (accessed 3 January 2017).Google Scholar
Abbott, CH, Prigerson, HG and Maciejewski, PK (2014) The influence of patients' quality of life at the end of life on bereaved caregivers' suicidal ideation. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 48(3), 459–64. https://oi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.09.011.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, RN, Mosher, CE, Cannady, RS, Lucette, A and Kim, Y (2014) Caregiving experiences predict changes in spiritual well-being among family caregivers of cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology 23(10), 1178–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3558.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Cancer Society (2016) If You're About to Become a Cancer Caregiver. Atlanta, GA: ACS. Available at https://www.cancer.org/treatment/caregivers/if-youre-about-to-become-a-cancer-caregiver.html (accessed May 2019).Google Scholar
American College of Surgeons (2015) Cancer Program Standards: Ensuring Patient-Centered Care. https://www.facs.org/~/media/files/quality%20programs/cancer/coc/2016%20coc%20standards%20manual_interactive%20pdf.ashx (accessed May 2019).Google Scholar
Anderson, LA, Edwards, VJ, Pearson, WS, Talley, RC, McGuire, LC and Andersen, EM (2013) Adult caregivers in the United States: characteristics and differences in well-being, by caregiver age and caregiving status. Preventing Chronic Disease 10, E135. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd10.130090.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beesley, VL, Price, MA and Webb, PM (2011) Loss of lifestyle: health behaviour and weight changes after becoming a caregiver of a family member diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Support Care Cancer 19(12), 1949–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-1035-2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bluethmann, SM, Mariotto, AB and Rowland, JH (2016) Anticipating the “Silver Tsunami”: Prevalence trajectories and comorbidity burden among older cancer survivors in the United States. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 25(7), 1029–36. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.epi-16-0133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boehmer, U, Tripodis, Y, Bazzi, AR, Winter, M and Clark, MA (2016) Fear of cancer recurrence in survivor and caregiver dyads: differences by sexual orientation and how dyad members influence each other. Journal of Cancer Survivorship 10(5), 802–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-016-0526-7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016 a) Basic Information About Cancer Survivorship. Cancer Survivors. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivorship/basic_info/survivors/index.htm (accessed December 2016).Google Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016 b) Who are caregivers, and how do they support cancer survivors? Atlanta: CDC. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivorship/caregivers/index.htm (accessed December 2016).Google Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute (n.d.) United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2013 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta: CDC. Available at: www.cdc.gov/uscs (accessed 25 January 2017).Google Scholar
Clark, MM, Atherton, PJ, Lapid, MI, Rausch, SM, Frost, MH, Cheville, AL, Hanson, JM, Garces, YI, Brown, PD, Sloan, JA, Richardson, JW, Piderman, KM and Rummans, TA (2013) Caregivers of patients with cancer fatigue: a high level of symptom burden. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care 31(2), 121–5. doi: 10.1177/1049909113479153.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Colgrove, LA, Kim, Y and Thompson, N (2007) The effect of spirituality and gender on the quality of life of spousal caregivers of cancer survivors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 33(1), 90–98. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324796abm3301_10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooke, L, Grant, M, Eldredge, DH, Maziarz, RT and Nail, LM (2011) Informal caregiving in hematopoietic blood and marrow transplant patients. European Journal of Oncology Nursing 15(5), 500–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2011.01.007.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Culliford, L (2002) Spirituality and clinical care. BMJ 325(7378), 1434–1435. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7378.1434.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Moor, JS, Dowling, EC, Ekwueme, DU, Guy, GP Jr, Rodriguez, J, Virgo, KS, Han, X, Kent, EE, Li, C, Litzelman, K, McNeel, TS, Liu, B and Yabroff, KR (2016) Employment implications of informal cancer caregiving. Journal of Cancer Survivorship 11(1), 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-016-0560-5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deatrick, JA, Hobbie, W, Ogle, S, Fisher, MJ, Barakat, L, Hardie, T, Reilly, M, Li, Y and Ginsberg, JP (2014) Competence in caregivers of adolescent and young adult childhood brain tumor survivors. Health Psychology 33(10), 1103–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033756.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Douglas, SL and Daly, BJ (2013) The impact of patient quality of life and spirituality upon caregiver depression for those with advanced cancer. Palliative & Supportive Care 11(5), 389–96. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951512000570.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fletcher, BS, Paul, SM, Dodd, MJ, Schumacher, K, West, C, Cooper, B, Lee, K, Aouizerat, B, Swift, P, Wara, W and Miaskowski, CA (2008) Prevalence, severity, and impact of symptoms on female family caregivers of patients at the initiation of radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 26(4), 599–605. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2007.12.2838.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fujinami, R, Sun, V, Zachariah, F, Uman, G, Grant, M and Ferrell, B (2015) Family caregivers' distress levels related to quality of life, burden, and preparedness. Psycho-Oncology 24(1), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3562.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garrido, MM and Prigerson, HG (2014) The end-of-life experience: modifiable predictors of caregivers' bereavement adjustment. Cancer 120(6), 918–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.28495.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gaugler, JE, Given, WC, Linder, J, Kataria, R, Tucker, G and Regine, WF (2008) Work, gender, and stress in family cancer caregiving. Support Care Cancer 16(4), 347–57. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0331-y.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Given, BA, Given, CW and Sherwood, P (2012) The challenge of quality cancer care for family caregivers. Seminars in Oncology Nursing 28(4), 205–212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2012.09.002.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grant, M, Sun, V, Fujinami, R, Sidhu, R, Otis-Green, S, Juarez, G, Klein, L and Ferrell, B (2013) Family caregiver burden, skills preparedness, and quality of life in non-small cell lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum 40(4), 337–46. https://doi.org/10.1188/13.ONF.337-346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hagedoorn, M, Kuijer, RG, Buunk, BP, DeJong, GM, Wobbes, T and Sanderman, R (2000) Marital satisfaction in patients with cancer: does support from intimate partners benefit those who need it the most? Health Psychology 19(3), 274–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harden, J, Sanda, MG, Wei, JT, Yarandi, HN, Hembroff, L, Hardy, J and Northouse, L (2013) Survivorship after prostate cancer treatment: spouses' quality of life at 36 months. Oncology Nursing Forum 40(6), 567–73. https://doi.org/10.1188/13.ONF.567-573.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffman, D and Zucker, H (2016) A call to preventive action by health care providers and policy makers to support caregivers. Preventing Chronic Disease 13, E96. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.160233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, BL (2012) The challenge of quality care for family caregivers in pediatric cancer care. Seminars in Oncology Nursing 28(4), 213–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2012.09.003.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kershaw, T, Ellis, KR, Yoon, H, Schafenacker, A, Katapodi, M and Northouse, L (2015) The interdependence of advanced cancer patients' and their family caregivers' mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy over time. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 49(6), 901–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9743-y.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kershaw, TS, Mood, DW, Newth, G, Ronis, DL, Sanda, MG, Vaishampayan, U and Northouse, LL (2008) Longitudinal analysis of a model to predict quality of life in prostate cancer patients and their spouses. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 36(2), 117–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-008-9058-3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, Y, Carver, CS, Deci, EL and Kasser, T (2008) Adult attachment and psychological well-being in cancer caregivers: the mediational role of spouses' motives for caregiving. Health Psychology 27(2), S144–S154. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.27.2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Baker, F and Spillers, RL (2007) Cancer caregivers' quality of life: effects of gender, relationship, and appraisal. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 34(3), 294–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2006.11.012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, Y, Carver, CS and Cannady, RS (2015) Caregiving motivation predicts long-term spirituality and quality of life of the caregivers. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 49(4), 500–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-014-9674-z.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Carver, CS, Shaffer, KM, Gansler, T and Cannady, RS (2015) Cancer caregiving predicts physical impairments: roles of earlier caregiving stress and being a spousal caregiver. Cancer 121(2), 302–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29040.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Carver, CS, Spillers, RL, Crammer, C and Zhou, ES (2011) Individual and dyadic relations between spiritual well-being and quality of life among cancer survivors and their spousal caregivers. Psycho-Oncology 20(7), 762–70. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1778.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Carver, CS, Spillers, RL, Love-Ghaffari, M and Kaw, CK (2012) Dyadic effects of fear of recurrence on the quality of life of cancer survivors and their caregivers. Quality of Life Research 21(3), 517–25. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9953-0.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y and Given, BA (2008) Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer survivors: across the trajectory of the illness. Cancer 112(11 Suppl), 2556–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.23449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Kashy, DA, Spillers, RL and Evans, TV (2010) Needs assessment of family caregivers of cancer survivors: three cohorts comparison. Psycho-Oncology 19(6), 573–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Kashy, DA, Wellisch, DK, Spillers, RL, Kaw, CK and Smith, TG (2008) Quality of life of couples dealing with cancer: dyadic and individual adjustment among breast and prostate cancer survivors and their spousal caregivers. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 35(2), 230–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-008-9026-y.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Schulz, R and Carver, CS (2007) Benefit-finding in the cancer caregiving experience. Psychosomatic Medicine 69(3), 283–91. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3180417cf4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Shaffer, KM, Carver, CS and Cannady, RS (2014) Prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms among cancer caregivers 5 years after the relative's cancer diagnosis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 82(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y and Spillers, RL (2010) Quality of life of family caregivers at 2 years after a relative's cancer diagnosis. Psycho-Oncology 19(4), 431–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1576.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Spillers, RL and Hall, DL (2012) Quality of life of family caregivers 5 years after a relative's cancer diagnosis: follow-up of the national quality of life survey for caregivers. Psycho-Oncology 21(3), 273–81. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1888.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, van Ryn, M, Jensen, RE, Griffin, JM, Potosky, A and Rowland, J (2015) Effects of gender and depressive symptoms on quality of life among colorectal and lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. Psych-Ooncology 24(1), 95–105. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3580.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Wellisch, DK and Spillers, RL (2008) Effects of psychological distress on quality of life of adult daughters and their mothers with cancer. Psycho-Oncology 17(11), 1129–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y, Wellisch, DK, Spillers, RL and Crammer, C (2007) Psychological distress of female cancer caregivers: effects of type of cancer and caregivers' spirituality. Support Care Cancer 15(12), 1367–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0265-4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Langer, SL, Brown, JD and Syrjala, KL (2009) Intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences of protective buffering among cancer patients and caregivers. Cancer 115(18 Suppl), 4311–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.24586.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lichtenthal, WG, Nilsson, M, Kissane, DW, Breitbart, W, Kacel, E, Jones, EC and Prigerson, HG (2011) Underutilization of mental health services among bereaved caregivers with prolonged grief disorder. Psychiatric Services 62(10), 1225–9. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.62.10.122510.1176/ps.62.10.pss6210_1225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Litzelman, K, Green, PA and Yabroff, KR (2016) Cancer and quality of life in spousal dyads: spillover in couples with and without cancer-related health problems. Support Care Cancer 24(2), 763–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2840-4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Litzelman, K, Kent, EE and Rowland, JH (2016) Social factors in informal cancer caregivers: The interrelationships among social stressors, relationship quality, and family functioning in the CanCORS data set. Cancer 122(2), 278–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29741.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Litzelman, K, Kent, EE, Mollica, M and Rowland, JH (2016) How does caregiver well-being relate to perceived quality of care in patients with cancer? Exploring associations and pathways. Journal of Clinical Oncology 34(29), 3554–61. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2016.67.3434.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mazanec, SR, Daly, BJ, Douglas, SL and Lipson, AR (2011) Work productivity and health of informal caregivers of persons with advanced cancer. Research in Nursing & Health 34(6), 483–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20461.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mezue, WC, Draper, P, Watson, R and Mathew, BG (2011) Caring for patients with brain tumor: the patient and care giver perspectives. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice 14(3), 368–72. https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.86786.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milbury, K, Badr, H, Fossella, F, Pisters, KM and Carmack, CL (2013) Longitudinal associations between caregiver burden and patient and spouse distress in couples coping with lung cancer. Support Care Cancer 21(9), 2371–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1795-6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller, WR and Thoresen, CE (2003) Spirituality, religion, and health. An emerging research field. American Psychologist 58 (1):24–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moher, D, Liberati, A, Tetzlaff, J, Altman, DG (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Annals of Internal Medicine 151(4), 264–269.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morgan, MA, Small, BJ, Donovan, KA, Overcash, J and McMillan, S (2011) Cancer patients with pain: the spouse/partner relationship and quality of life. Cancer Nursing 34(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e3181efed43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Northouse, LL, Mood, DW, Montie, JE, Sandler, HM, Forman, JD, Hussain, M, Pienta, KJ, Smith, DC, Sanda, MG and Kershaw, T (2007) Living with prostate cancer: patients' and spouses' psychosocial status and quality of life. Journal of Clinical Oncology 25 (27):4171–7. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2006.09.6503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parvataneni, R, Polley, MY, Freeman, T, Lamborn, K, Prados, M, Butowski, N, Liu, R, Clarke, J, Page, M, Rabbitt, J, Fedoroff, A, Clow, E, Hsieh, E, Kivett, V, Deboer, R and Chang, S (2011) Identifying the needs of brain tumor patients and their caregivers. Journal of Neuro-Oncology 104(3), 737–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-011-0534-4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pawl, JD, Lee, SY, Clark, PC and Sherwood, PR (2013) Sleep loss and its effects on health of family caregivers of individuals with primary malignant brain tumors. Research in Nursing & Health 36(4), 386–99. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Porter, LS, Keefe, FJ, Davis, D, Rumble, M, Scipio, C and Garst, J (2012) Attachment styles in patients with lung cancer and their spouses: associations with patient and spouse adjustment. Support Care Cancer 20(10), 2459–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1367-6.Google ScholarPubMed
Porter, LS, Keefe, FJ, Garst, J, McBride J, CM and Baucom, D (2008) Self-efficacy for managing pain, symptoms, and function in patients with lung cancer and their informal caregivers: associations with symptoms and distress. Pain 137(2), 306–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2007.09.010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Post, MWM (2014) Definitions of quality of life: what has happened and how to move on. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation 20(3), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1310/sci2003-167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prosser, LA, Lamarand, K, Gebremariam, A and Wittenberg, E (2015) Measuring family HRQOL spillover effects using direct health utility assessment. Medical Decision Making 35(1), 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X14541328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ross, S, Mosher, CE, Ronis-Tobin, V, Hermele, S and Ostroff, JS (2010) Psychosocial adjustment of family caregivers of head and neck cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 18(2), 171–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0641-3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shaffer, KM, Jacobs, JM, Nipp, RD, Carr, A, Jackson, VA, Park, ER, Pirl, WF, El-Jawahri, A, Gallagher, ER, Greer, JA and Temel, JS (2017) Mental and physical health correlates among family caregivers of patients with newly-diagnosed incurable cancer: a hierarchical linear regression analysis. Support Care Cancer 25(3), 965–971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3488-4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shahi, V, Lapid, MI, Kung, S, Atherton, PJ, Sloan, JA, Clark, MM and Rummans, TA (2014) Do age and quality of life of patients with cancer influence quality of life of the caregiver? Journal of Geriatric Oncology 5(3), 331–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgo.2014.03.003.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Siefert, ML, Williams, AL, Dowd, MF, Chappel-Aiken, L and McCorkle, R (2008) The caregiving experience in a racially diverse sample of cancer family caregivers. Cancer Nursing 31(5), 399–407. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NCC.0000305760.04357.96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spillers, RL, Wellisch, DK, Kim, Y, Matthews, BA and Baker, F (2008) Family caregivers and guilt in the context of cancer care. Psychosomatics 49(6), 511–9. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psy.49.6.511.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sumner, LA, Wellisch, DK, Kim, Y and Spillers, RL (2015) Psychosocial characteristics of adult daughters of breast cancer patients: comparison of clinic and community caregivers samples. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 33(5), 561–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2015.1067281.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tamayo, GJ, Broxson, A, Munsell, M, Cohen, MZ (2010) Caring for the caregiver. Oncology Nursing Forum 37(1), E50–E57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teschendorf, B, Schwartz, C, Ferrans, CE, O'Mara, A, Novotny, P, Sloan, J (2007) Caregiver role stress: when families become providers. Cancer Control 14(2), 183–189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trevino, KM, Maciejewski, PK, Epstein, AS and Prigerson, HG (2015) The lasting impact of the therapeutic alliance: Patient-oncologist alliance as a predictor of caregiver bereavement adjustment. Cancer 121(19), 3534–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trivedi, R, Beaver, K, Bouldin, ED, Eugenio, E, Zeliadt, SB, Nelson, K, Rosland, AM, Szarka, JG, and Piette, JD (2014) Characteristics and well-being of informal caregivers: Results from a nationally-representative US survey. Chronic Illness 10(3), 167–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742395313506947.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Washington, KT, Pike, KC, Demiris, G and Oliver, DP (2015) Unique characteristics of informal hospice cancer caregiving. Support Care Cancer 23(7), 2121–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2570-z.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weaver, KE, Rowland, JH, Augustson, E and Atienza, AA (2011) Smoking concordance in lung and colorectal cancer patient-caregiver dyads and quality of life. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 20 (2), 239–48. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0666.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winters-Stone, KM, Lyons, KS, Bennett, JA and Beer, TM (2014) Patterns and predictors of symptom incongruence in older couples coping with prostate cancer. Support Care Cancer 22(5), 1341–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-2092-0.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wright, AA, Keating, NL, Balboni, TA, Matulonis, UA, Block, SD and Prigerson, HG (2010) Place of death: correlations with quality of life of patients with cancer and predictors of bereaved caregivers' mental health. Journal of Clinical Oncology 28 (29), 4457–64. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2009.26.3863.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wright, AA, Zhang, B, Ray, A, Mack, JW, Trice, E, Balboni, T, Mitchell, SL, Jackson, VA, Block, SD, Maciejewski, PK and Prigerson, HG (2008) Associations between end-of-life discussions, patient mental health, medical care near death, and caregiver bereavement adjustment. JAMA 300(14), 1665–73. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.300.14.1665.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhang, AY, Zyzanski, SJ and Siminoff, LA (2010) Differential patient-caregiver opinions of treatment and care for advanced lung cancer patients. Social Science & Medicine 70(8), 1155–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.12.023.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed