Cancer peer support programs-do they work?

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis, creating social, emotional, financial and psychological problems. Peer support programs are based on the premise that support from others who have been through a similar experience can help reduce the negative impacts of this disease. While there is strong theoretical rationale for this, empirical evidence that would guide program planning is scarce.

Best practice in group-based smoking cessation: results of a literature review applying effectiveness, plausibility, and practicality criteria.

Objective: Apply a "best practices" model to evidence regarding group smoking cessation to inform organizational decisions about adopting such programs. The best-practices model attempts to integrate rigorous review of evidence with context and practical considerations important to organizations contemplating adoption.

Data Sources: First, we identified effective practices by systematic literature review with two blinded reviewers to (1) search databases (99.