"It's a lot of things": Household material hardship among Black and Hispanic parents of children with cancer.

Household material hardship (HMH)-housing, food, transportation, or utility insecurity-is an adverse social determinant of health that is modifiable in the clinical setting. This mixed-methods, single-center study explored the experiences of HMH among Black and Hispanic pediatric oncology parents utilizing a single timepoint survey (N = 60) and semi-structured interviews (N = 20 purposively sampled subcohort). Forty-four (73%) parents reported HMH. Qualitatively, participants expressed stress, anxiety, and embarrassment due to unmet basic resource needs, and childcare emerged as an additional important domain of HMH. Participants recommend a standardized approach to HMH screening and resource allocation, offering insight into targets for future intervention.

Parental Uncertainty: Parents' Perceptions of Health-Related Quality of Life in Newly Diagnosed Children With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Parents of children with cancer are predisposed to psychological distress symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. This vulnerability may exacerbate underlying mood disturbances, including trait anxiety and depression, and influence parents' perception of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in their children. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between parental uncertainty and parent proxy reports of HRQOL in newly diagnosed children with cancer. METHODS: A longitudinal descriptive approach was used to examine the relationship between parental uncertainty and parent proxy reports of HRQOL in 55 parent-child dyads. Parental trait anxiety, depression, and perceived social support were evaluated as potential predictor variables. FINDINGS: Parents of newly diagnosed children with cancer reported lower parent proxy HRQOL scores. Parental uncertainty was prevalent and affected parents' perceptions of HRQOL three months following diagnosis; however, higher social support scores buffered these negative effects.

Transfusion Reactions: A Case Study of an Ocular Adverse Event During Autologous Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of blood products is an integral part of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Because of the risk for myelotoxicity during conditioning regimens, adequate transfusion support is needed. Typical signs and symptoms of transfusion reactions include fever, chills, hives, and itching. Uncommon symptoms, such as conjunctival erythema, periorbital itching, erythema, and edema, can also occur. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to describe atypical transfusion-related reactions in a patient undergoing stem cell transplantation. METHODS: This article presents a case study of a patient with cancer undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation who experienced an adverse ocular reaction following platelet transfusion. FINDINGS: Ensuring that oncology nurses are proactive in identifying and managing symptoms that can result from atypical transfusion reactions can reduce morbidity and mortality and improve overall patient care outcomes.