AI Article Synopsis

  • The study explored the social support experiences of advanced cancer patients participating in a Palliative Rehabilitation Program (PRP), highlighting the integration of social support within their care.
  • Twelve patients were interviewed to identify the most beneficial types and sources of social support, revealing that team members, spouses, family, friends, and spiritual beliefs were key sources.
  • Findings indicated that emotional support was most valued, with differences in reliance on social support based on gender and age, suggesting the need for tailored approaches in future rehabilitation programs to address these varying needs.

Article Abstract

Background: Social support has been shown to buffer some difficulties of living with advanced cancer. The Palliative Rehabilitation Program (prp) was an interdisciplinary outpatient program offering post-treatment palliative rehabilitation to patients with advanced cancer. Social support was directly integrated into the program. The aim of the present study was to examine the types and sources of social support that patients found most beneficial.

Methods: Twelve patients participated in 30-minute semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to explore the social support experiences of those patients in the prp. Patients were eligible to participate in the interview if they had completed the 8-week prp, spoke English, and did not have cognitive or auditory impairments affecting their ability to participate.

Results: The main sources of support reported by participants were team members and spouse, family, or close friends; peers attending the program; and spiritual beliefs. Social support varied based on sex and age, such that, compared with women, men reported relying less on social support, and the supportive needs of younger (≤50 years of age) and older participants differed. Team members were endorsed as frequently as family as social support.

Discussion: Emotional support was endorsed with the greatest frequency. The members of the interdisciplinary care team were also providers of emotional and informational support for patients, bolstering the support received from caregivers. Widowed or divorced women might rely on health care providers more readily than do married men, who chose their wives as support. Future rehabilitation programs might consider the importance of an interdisciplinary team, the formal integration of caregivers, and the incorporation of spirituality to meet the unique supportive needs of patients with advanced cancer.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6291286PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3747/co.25.4050DOI Listing

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