Surgical Care Science, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
J Adv Nurs. 2023 Jun;79(6):2259-2268. doi: 10.1111/jan.15580. Epub 2023 Feb 13.
This qualitative study aimed to explore the experience of being family caregivers of patients treated for oesophageal cancer 2 years after treatment. To better understand the family caregiver's situation, a conceptual model was used in the analysis. The results of the study can guide future interventions to support family caregivers of patients treated for oesophageal cancer.
A qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured telephone interviews. An abductive approach was used in the analysis to reach deeper knowledge about the family caregivers' experiences and to better understand deeper patterns.
A qualitative study was conducted and included 13 family caregivers of patients surgically treated for oesophageal cancer in Sweden in 2018 who participated in a population-based nationwide cohort study. Individual telephone interviews were held in 2020, 2 years after the patients' surgery. The analysis of the interviews started with an inductive approach using thematic analysis. Thereafter, a deductive approach was used to interpret the findings in relation to the conceptual model, The Cancer Family Caregiving Experience.
The most essential/evident stress factors for the family caregivers were distress regarding the patients' nutrition, fear of tumour recurrence and worry about the future. In addition, a transition was experienced, going from a family member to a caregiver, and the many psychosocial aspects of this transition were highlighted during the disease trajectory.
Despite, the long-term survival of the patient, family caregivers were still struggling with psychosocial consequences because of the patient's cancer diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, there is a need to improve supportive interventions for family caregivers during the whole disease trajectory.
The current study includes comprehensive information about the family caregivers' experiences when caring for a patient treated for oesophageal cancer. Family caregivers struggle with the psychosocial consequences of the patient's cancer and worry about tumour recurrence even 2 years after surgery. These findings can be useful in the development of supportive interventions, which may facilitate life for family caregivers.
The study was discussed and planned together with our research partnership group including patients and family caregivers. In addition, the manuscript was reviewed by some of the members to cross-check the results and discussed them to avoid misinterpretation.
本定性研究旨在探讨治疗后 2 年接受食管癌治疗的患者的家庭照顾者的体验。为了更好地了解家庭照顾者的情况，在分析中使用了概念模型。该研究的结果可以指导未来支持食管癌治疗患者家庭照顾者的干预措施。
使用半结构式电话访谈的定性描述性研究。在分析中使用归纳法来深入了解家庭照顾者的经验，并更好地理解更深层次的模式。
进行了一项定性研究，包括 2018 年在瑞典接受手术治疗的食管癌患者的 13 名家庭照顾者，他们参加了一项基于人群的全国队列研究。2020 年，即患者手术后 2 年，对他们进行了个人电话访谈。访谈的分析首先使用主题分析进行了归纳法，然后使用演绎法根据概念模型“癌症家庭照顾体验”解释研究结果。
对家庭照顾者来说，最关键/明显的压力因素是对患者营养状况的担忧、对肿瘤复发的恐惧和对未来的担忧。此外，还经历了从家庭成员到照顾者的转变，在疾病过程中强调了这一转变的许多心理社会方面。
尽管患者长期存活，但由于患者的癌症诊断和治疗，家庭照顾者仍在遭受心理社会后果的困扰。此外，需要在整个疾病过程中改善对家庭照顾者的支持性干预措施。
本研究包括了家庭照顾者在照顾接受食管癌治疗的患者时的全面体验信息。家庭照顾者在患者癌症后仍在与心理社会后果作斗争，并担心肿瘤复发，即使在手术后 2 年也是如此。这些发现对于支持性干预措施的发展可能是有用的，这可能会使家庭照顾者的生活更加轻松。
该研究与我们的研究伙伴关系小组（包括患者和家庭照顾者）一起讨论和计划。此外，一些小组成员还对稿件进行了审查，以核对结果并讨论，以避免误解。
