International Collaboration in the Time of COVID-19: The World Hospice and Palliative Care Social Work Network.

In the context of widespread loss, isolation, and grief due to COVID-19, palliative social workers came together in the fall of 2020 to form an international group named the World Hospice and Palliative Care Social Work Network (WHPCSW). This emerging global network is committed to amplifying the innovative work, nuanced skills, research, and education and training provided by palliative social workers across different settings around the world. This article highlights some of the novel interventions developed by social workers in response to the pandemic and describes this coalescing WHPCSW network along with information about its mission and membership.

Quality of life in breast cancer survivors: implications for developing support services.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Quality of life (QOL) is becoming more important in regard to breast cancer as treatment advances extend the period of survivorship. The purpose of this article is to share the results of a cancer center's attempt to evaluate the QOL needs of breast cancer survivors in order to provide improved supportive-care services. DESIGN: Descriptive mailed survey. SETTING: A medical center in southern California. SAMPLE: A random sample of breast cancer survivors (N = 298). METHODS: Breast cancer survivors completed a mailed survey that included major outcome variables of QOL and pain. Subjects were stratified by three age groups: younger than 40 years, 40-60 years, and older than 60 years. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: QOL subscales (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being) and overall QOL score and pain as assessed by the Brief Pain Inventory. FINDINGS: Results indicated continued physical demands of breast cancer, including fatigue and pain, as well as psychological burdens related to fear of breast cancer recurrence and anxiety. The social well-being domain indicated some unique aspects of QOL when applied to breast cancer survivorship such as the fear of breast cancer in female relatives. The spiritual well-being domain illustrated the unique QOL aspects of life-threatening illness such as living with uncertainty and maintaining hope. Breast cancer survivors also reported positive aspects and life changes after successfully facing breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer survivors experience many demands of illness across the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The study's findings can be useful in directing cancer centers' efforts to provide comprehensive care for breast cancer survivors. Nurses play a critical role in leading these efforts for supportive-care services intended to improve the QOL of breast cancer survivors.

Quality of life in breast cancer. Part II: Psychological and spiritual well-being.

With an increasing number of women surviving breast cancer beyond treatment, the focus of care has shifted from the acute treatment-related side effects to long-term effects associated with changes in quality of life (QOL). Part I of this article described the impact of breast cancer on the domains of physical and social well-being of 21 long-term survivors of breast cancer through qualitative analysis. Part II explores the impact of breast cancer on the domains of psychological and spiritual well-being.

Quality of life in breast cancer. Part I: Physical and social well-being.

Almost 2 million breast cancer survivors reside in the United States. An increase in consumer advocacy and media attention to this disease has helped bring breast cancer survivorship to the forefront of public attention. This has led to increased attention on quality of life (QOL) issues for these survivors of breast cancer. This two-part article presents the results of a qualitative, descriptive study evaluating the QOL of 21 breast cancer survivors. This study is based on our conceptual model of QOL including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. Part I of this article describes the impact of breast cancer on the physical and social domains of QOL based on in-depth interviews with breast cancer survivors.

Quality of life in breast cancer survivors as identified by focus groups.

Currently, over 1,700,000 women are living with breast cancer in the United States. These long-term survivors of breast cancer are challenged to redirect their energy from issues of cancer treatment and early side effects toward quality of life issues related to long-term survivorship, such as menopause, infertility, fear of recurrence, family distress, and uncertainty. In an attempt to obtain patient perspectives on quality of life and health care issues faced by breast cancer survivors, focus group methodology was utilized in the first year of a 2 year study. The sample was stratified to represent three age groups: < 40 years, 40-60 years, and > 60, and was intended to represent different developmental levels believed to have varying experiences with quality of life and potentially divergent needs following breast cancer diagnosis. Results of these focus groups revealed unique quality of life concerns of breast cancer survivors across four domains of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well being. Each of these domains yields important implications for future research and clinical practice.

Quality of life in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Currently, 1,721,700 women are living with breast cancer in the United States. As the number of survivors of breast cancer continues to rise, so must our knowledge about unique quality-of-life concerns. This article reports the results of a study on quality of life in women with breast cancer and validates the model of quality of life in this population. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: To explore these concerns and to validate a breast cancer quality-of-life model, 21 survivors of breast cancer, across three age strata (younger than 40 years, 40 to 60 years, and older than 60 years), were interviewed and asked to complete quantitative surveys on pain and quality of life. RESULTS: Across all age groups, unique issues of survivorship include those related to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. In the domain of physical well-being, the areas of worst outcome were in menstrual changes and fertility, fatigue, and pain. In the domain of psychological well-being, predominant needs were in the areas of fear of the spread of cancer, distress from surgery, recurrence, fear of second cancer, impact on self-concept, and fear of future tests. The social well-being subscale identified the greatest disruption in the area of family distress. The spiritual well-being subscale showed greatest disruption in the area of uncertainty, although other aspects of this domain were usually rated in a positive direction (e.g., importance of religious activities). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The data demonstrated the need for further research, assessment, and intervention across each of the quality-of-life domains. There is a significant need to address physical problems; however, the psychological domain demonstrated the greatest area of distress. The multidimensional needs of breast cancer survivors emphasize the need for multidisciplinary collaboration.