Research Article

Caregiving for women with advanced breast cancer

  1. Marjorie Coristine1,
  2. Dauna Crooks2,3,
  3. Eva Grunfeld1,2,*,
  4. Carole Stonebridge1,
  5. Anne Christie1

Article first published online: 20 MAY 2003

DOI: 10.1002/pon.696

Issue

Psycho‐Oncology

Psycho-Oncology

Volume 12, Issue 7, pages 709–719, October/November 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Coristine, M., Crooks, D., Grunfeld, E., Stonebridge, C. and Christie, A. (2003), Caregiving for women with advanced breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 12: 709–719. doi: 10.1002/pon.696

Author Information

  1. 1

    Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

  2. 2

    Supportive Cancer Care Research Unit, Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

  3. 3

    McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

*Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, 503 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 1C4

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 SEP 2003
  2. Article first published online: 20 MAY 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 25 OCT 2002
  4. Manuscript Received: 17 APR 2002

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Abstract

Aim: To describe the psychosocial impact on caregivers of caring for women with advanced breast cancer.

Methods: Five focus groups were held with bereaved caregivers. Qualitative content analysis of the transcripts was conducted to identify emerging themes.

Results: Two categories of caregivers were identified: spouse caregivers (SCGs) and non-spouse caregivers (NSCGs), who were either close friends or relatives. SCGs and the patient managed care cooperatively and shared care-related decision making. Working SCGs managed multiple roles but employers gave them support and freedom to take the time that was necessary to care for their wives. NSCGs had the most life roles to manage, and saw themselves as agents for the patient. The terminal phase of disease was most burdensome for all caregivers, although NSCGs had the most difficulties. During this phase, the patients' activities of daily living became much more impaired. In addition, some patients were not willing to receive continence support from caregivers, and some caregivers found that they could not provide continence support. SCGs were able to negotiate these care-related roles with their spouse, but NSCGs struggled to satisfy the wishes of the patient.

Conclusion: Caregivers assume great responsibility for providing care, particularly during the terminal phase. Caregiving becomes more complex with each additional life role of the caregiver. SCGs have two advantages: (1) living with the patient facilitates caregiving and (2) patterns of decision making that were established previous to the illness facilitated shared decision making between the patient and spouse caregiver. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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