Waters Austin R, Gren Lisa H, Rogers Charles R, Kirchhoff Anne C, Warner Echo L
Cancer Control and Population Sciences Research Program, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT.
Division of Public Health, Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT.
J Psychosoc Oncol Res Pract. 2021 Oct-Dec;3(4). doi: 10.1097/or9.0000000000000062. Epub 2021 Oct 25.
Young adult cancer caregivers (YACC) may experience heightened caregiver burden because they take on caregiving during a dynamic time of life. The purpose of this study was to describe YACC experiences, burden, and social support while caregiving.
Grounded by the Cancer Family Caregiving Experience Model and the Stress and Coping Social Support theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with YACC. Inductive analysis was applied to YACC perceptions of caregiving, and deductive analysis to YACC social networks and social support.
YACC (N=34) were primarily between 25 to 29 years of age (38.2%), primarily female (70.6%), non-Hispanic White (91.2%), employed (85.3%), college graduates or higher (53.0%), and caring for a spouse/partner (52.9%). Qualitative analysis of interviews with YACC resulted in 2 themes: cancer caregiving during young adulthood and young adult cancer caregiver social support. In the first theme YACC often did not perceive themselves as caregivers, rather their caregiving responsibilities were viewed as an extension of their relationship with the patient. Further YACC reported developmental-specific responsibilities (eg, caring for young children, being unable to take time off while solidifying careers) which often conflicted with their caregiving responsibilities (eg, managing patient's medication, attending appointments) and heightened burden. In response, YACC often formed caregiver teams consisting of family, friends, and community members to care for their loved one. In the second theme YACC most commonly reported receiving emotional and instrumental support from their social network. YACC specifically mentioned their appreciation for emotional support provided by other young adults and instrumental support in the form of financial support.
YACC faced developmentally specific challenges during caregiving that older adult caregivers may not encounter. The conflict of young adult and caregiving responsibilities resulted in YACC forming caregiver teams. Thus, theoretical approaches to understand and improve caregiver health would benefit from the inclusion of the developmental context of young adulthood. Furthermore, it is crucial that cancer centers tailor supportive services to YACC as the number of young caregivers increases.
年轻成年癌症照料者（YACC）可能会经历更重的照料负担，因为他们是在人生的一个充满变化的时期承担起照料责任的。本研究的目的是描述YACC在照料期间的经历、负担和社会支持情况。
以癌症家庭照料经历模型和应激与应对社会支持理论为基础，对YACC进行了半结构化访谈。对YACC的照料认知进行归纳分析，对YACC的社会网络和社会支持进行演绎分析。
YACC（N = 34）主要年龄在25至29岁之间（38.2%），主要为女性（70.6%），非西班牙裔白人（91.2%），有工作（85.3%），大学毕业及以上学历（53.0%），照料配偶/伴侣（52.9%）。对YACC访谈的定性分析产生了两个主题：成年早期的癌症照料以及年轻成年癌症照料者的社会支持。在第一个主题中，YACC通常不认为自己是照料者，相反，他们的照料责任被视为他们与患者关系的延伸。此外，YACC报告了特定于发展阶段的责任（例如，照顾年幼子女、在巩固职业时无法请假），这些责任常常与他们的照料责任（例如，管理患者的药物、陪同就诊）相冲突，并加重了负担。作为应对措施，YACC经常组建由家人、朋友和社区成员组成的照料团队来照顾他们所爱的人。在第二个主题中，YACC最常报告从他们的社会网络中获得情感和实际支持。YACC特别提到他们感激其他年轻人提供的情感支持以及经济支持形式的实际支持。
YACC在照料期间面临着老年照料者可能不会遇到的特定于发展阶段的挑战。年轻成年责任与照料责任的冲突导致YACC组建照料团队。因此，理解和改善照料者健康的理论方法将受益于纳入成年早期的发展背景。此外，随着年轻照料者数量的增加，癌症中心为YACC量身定制支持性服务至关重要。
