Early palliative care for those who care: A qualitative exploration of cancer caregivers' information needs during hospital stays.

BACKGROUND: The supporting role of caregivers is crucial to cancer patients' care and well-being. Periods of inpatient hospital treatment are common in the cancer trajectory. There is insufficient systematic knowledge of caregivers' experiences and information needs in hospital context. AIM: Aim of this study is to identify information needs and factors contributing to unmet information needs of caregivers in hospital. DESIGN: A qualitative approach was used to identify major themes and specific types of information needs. Interviews with caregivers were conducted and analysed using a qualitative three-step process. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted in a hospital oncology department. Seventeen caregivers of patients with advanced cancer were interviewed. RESULTS: Caregivers' needs during inpatient treatment vary and are largely unmet. Four major themes emerged from the analysis, revealing information needs of caregivers related to the cancer disease, patient, caregivers themselves and hospital context. The most mentioned issues were appropriate treatment, treatment outcomes and the related consequences for caregivers' life, hospital processes and transition back home. CONCLUSION: Caregivers have a variety of specific information needs which often remain unmet. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for integrating caregivers into oncology care, which should be implemented in clinical practice, policy decisions and research.

Early integration of palliative/supportive cancer care-healthcare professionals' perspectives on the support needs of cancer patients and their caregivers across the cancer treatment trajectory.

PURPOSE: Delivering palliative/supportive cancer care (PSCC) early in the course of cancer care can enhance patients' and caregivers' quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression, and prolong patients' lives. However, their support needs are analyzed insufficiently from viewpoints other than their own. The goal of this study was to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals on desirable standards of support for tumor patients and caregivers across the cancer treatment trajectory. It further aimed at identifying starting points for PSCC to address these needs. METHODS: Nine healthcare professionals of varying disciplines in a large German university hospital each participated in one of two focus groups. The qualitative data was analyzed following the grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: The healthcare professionals described it as desirable standards that tumor patients and caregivers receive support coping with tasks, accepting the situation, generating strength, feeling trust, and gaining clarity, thus increasing their sense of control. These support needs were seen as important throughout the whole cancer treatment trajectory of tumor patients and their caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: Team meetings, supervision, tailored education, and structural improvements may aid healthcare professionals to develop and implement ways to further support patients and caregivers. Also, patients' and caregivers' support needs should be screened regularly, e.g., when treatment phases change. This would complement healthcare professionals' subjective theories of relevant needs during a specific treatment phase.