Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a landscape that contributed to many unknowns and unmet needs among cancer family caregivers and their care recipients. Aim: This secondary analysis qualitative study aimed to explore cancer family caregiver narratives for the societal and institutional c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251346226 |
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| _version_ | 1849331288526290944 |
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| author | Charlotte R. Weiss Rachel Johnson-Koenke Karen B. Hirschman |
| author_facet | Charlotte R. Weiss Rachel Johnson-Koenke Karen B. Hirschman |
| author_sort | Charlotte R. Weiss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a landscape that contributed to many unknowns and unmet needs among cancer family caregivers and their care recipients. Aim: This secondary analysis qualitative study aimed to explore cancer family caregiver narratives for the societal and institutional contexts of caring for a person with advanced cancer during the early years of COVID-19. Design: Narrative inquiry was used in the parent study to co-create caregiver narratives. Methods: Narrative thematic analysis was used to identify themes of COVID-19 from five cancer caregiver narratives. Results: Thematic threads of COVID-19 were identified as short stories of tension woven throughout the caregiver narratives: advocacy for quality healthcare, the need to protect their person from the virus and medical/institutional disregard, financial strain, lack of social support, and the long goodbye. The findings further illustrate how COVID-19 and cancer intersect to influence a caregiver’s healthcare experience and well-being. Conclusion: Family-centered care strategies and policy changes are needed to better meet the complex needs of cancer caregivers during a pandemic and beyond. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d5bf58d66abc49f5be5d1d0a44af9e86 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2632-3524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5bf58d66abc49f5be5d1d0a44af9e862025-08-20T03:46:38ZengSAGE PublishingPalliative Care and Social Practice2632-35242025-06-011910.1177/26323524251346226Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19Charlotte R. Weiss0Rachel Johnson-Koenke1Karen B. Hirschman2College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, USACollege of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, USASchool of Nursing, NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USABackground: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a landscape that contributed to many unknowns and unmet needs among cancer family caregivers and their care recipients. Aim: This secondary analysis qualitative study aimed to explore cancer family caregiver narratives for the societal and institutional contexts of caring for a person with advanced cancer during the early years of COVID-19. Design: Narrative inquiry was used in the parent study to co-create caregiver narratives. Methods: Narrative thematic analysis was used to identify themes of COVID-19 from five cancer caregiver narratives. Results: Thematic threads of COVID-19 were identified as short stories of tension woven throughout the caregiver narratives: advocacy for quality healthcare, the need to protect their person from the virus and medical/institutional disregard, financial strain, lack of social support, and the long goodbye. The findings further illustrate how COVID-19 and cancer intersect to influence a caregiver’s healthcare experience and well-being. Conclusion: Family-centered care strategies and policy changes are needed to better meet the complex needs of cancer caregivers during a pandemic and beyond.https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251346226 |
| spellingShingle | Charlotte R. Weiss Rachel Johnson-Koenke Karen B. Hirschman Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 Palliative Care and Social Practice |
| title | Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 |
| title_full | Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 |
| title_short | Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers’ experiences during COVID-19 |
| title_sort | intersecting challenges cancer caregivers experiences during covid 19 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251346226 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT charlotterweiss intersectingchallengescancercaregiversexperiencesduringcovid19 AT racheljohnsonkoenke intersectingchallengescancercaregiversexperiencesduringcovid19 AT karenbhirschman intersectingchallengescancercaregiversexperiencesduringcovid19 |