Caring for the person with cancer: Information and support needs and the role of technology
Open accessAbstract
Objective: Informal carers experience a variety of information and support needs when providing care to someone with cancer. It is unclear when carers seek information and what resources they access to support themselves throughout the cancer trajectory. Methods: A sample of 45 carers and 15 oncology nurses were recruited to participate in either focus groups or phone interviews. Results: Carers in the study were more likely to be women (60%), caring for a spouse or partner (64.4%), living with the patient (86.7%), and hold a university degree (46.7%). The majority of oncology nurses were females (66.6%). Findings showed that carers had limited access to adequate information as needs arose. Supports used to address information needs included information booklets, the Internet, and communication with healthcare professionals or with other carers. Barriers in communication between nurses and carers impacted on the adequacy of information received. Participants reported that technology, such as smartphone applications, might be appropriate for improving information and support needs. Conclusions: Caring for someone with cancer is multifaceted. Carers need access to timely information to help them effectively manage patients' needs. Future studies should assess the role of contemporary approaches, such as digital technology, as a solution to the delivery of information and support for carers of people with cancer.
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Cancer caregivers are receptive to Web-based tools that might help with their caregiving tasks and reduce their caregiver strain.
“and that they are receptive to Web-based tools that might help with their caregiving tasks and reduce their caregiver strain [2, 3, 11].”
From Web-based self-help intervention for partners of cancer patients based on acceptance and commitment therapy and self-compassion training: a randomized controlled trial with automated versus personal feedback (2021) · cites this paper as [2]
In “How Technology Can Bridge Information and Support Gaps” (page unavailable), carers described technology as useful for managing symptoms at home, and one said they would have used a smartphone app. The Discussion suggests an app could reduce time spent searching for resources, but the paper does not establish that Web-based tools would reduce caregiver strain. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMost partners do not use available interventions because they are not aware of their own health problems, lack time, or are reluctant to seek help.
“Although some of these interventions have become available during the last decade, most partners do not use these interventions because they are not aware of their own health problems, they have a lack of time, or they are reluctant to seek help [2, 3, 8, 9].”
From Web-based self-help intervention for partners of cancer patients based on acceptance and commitment therapy and self-compassion training: a randomized controlled trial with automated versus personal feedback (2021) · cites this paper as [2]
In ‘Informal carers’ access to support mechanisms’ (page not supplied), carers were hesitant to contact staff because they did not want to inconvenience them. The Findings (page not supplied) list being too busy and perceiving no need as reasons some people did not participate in the study—not reasons most partners avoided interventions. The paper does not establish that most partners avoided interventions or that they were unaware of their own health problems. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCancer affects not only the lives of patients but also those of their partners or spouses.
“Cancer affects not only the lives of the patients but also those of their partners or spouses [1, 2].”
Cancer caregivers frequently use the Internet to receive information and support.
“Research has shown that cancer caregivers frequently use the Internet to receive information and support [2, 13]”
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- Authors
- Heynsbergh, N., Botti, M., Heckel, L., & Livingston, P. M.
- Affiliations
- Deakin University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Heynsbergh, Natalie
- Venue
- Psycho-Oncology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-04-20
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1650-1655
- ISSN
- 1057-9249 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1611
- PMC
- PMC6001456
- OpenAlex
- W2796043198
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 5.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Psycho-Oncology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UniSA Research Outputs Repository (University of South Australia) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Eastern Health Foundation
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Family Support in Illness
- Keywords
- informal caregivers, cancer caregiving, information needs, caregiver support, oncology nurses, digital health technologies, mobile application, information barriers
- MeSH terms
- Attitude to Health, Communication, Empathy, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Social Support, Caregivers, Internet, Information Dissemination, Consumer Health Information
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