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Supportive Care in Cancer

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01-04-2015 | Original Article

Worried together: a qualitative study of shared anxiety in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and their family caregivers

Authors: Ellen Hendriksen, Emma Williams, Nora Sporn, Joseph Greer, Alexandra DeGrange, Cheryl Koopman

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 4/2015

Abstract

Purpose

Anxiety is prevalent, distressing, and understudied among patients with advanced lung cancer and their family caregivers. Preliminary evidence suggests that anxiety is not only present in both patients and caregivers but shared by the dyad. Few studies have examined the nature of shared anxiety and its impact on patient-caregiver dyads.

Methods

This study was developed to identify shared causes and manifestations of anxiety experienced by patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their primary caregivers. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with ten matched patient-caregiver dyads and one unmatched patient (N = 21) recruited from two comprehensive cancer care centers.

Results

Using grounded theory, eight themes emerged characterizing shared causes and manifestations of anxiety: (1) uncertainty, (2) loss and impending loss, (3) changing roles, (4) conflict outside the dyad, (5) finances, (6) physical symptoms, (7) fears of decline and dying, and (8) life after the patient’s passing. All themes were shared by patients and caregivers.

Conclusions

Implications for future research include the development and evaluation of interventions to reduce anxiety in cancer patient-caregiver dyads.

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Title: Worried together: a qualitative study of shared anxiety in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and their family caregivers
Authors: Ellen Hendriksen
Emma Williams
Nora Sporn
Joseph Greer
Alexandra DeGrange
Cheryl Koopman
Publication date: 01-04-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 4/2015
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2431-9

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Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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