The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for primary caregivers of children with cancer

Abstract

Overview: Having a child diagnosed with cancer is a life-changing experience for parents, leading to psychological and social problems. The role of Healthcare Professionals is of utmost importance when assisting these parents. Studies show that psychosocial interventions can teach primary caregivers the necessary skills to cope and improve their health and well-being. Research question: Do Psychosocial Interventions for Primary Caregivers of Children with Cancer Improve Well-being? PICO elements: (P) Primary caregivers of children with cancer (I) Psychosocial interventions (C) No intervention (O) Improving well-being. Inclusion and Exclusion criteria: included English language only, peer-reviewed articles published between 2008 and 2018, dealing with only children suffering with cancer, both males and females as caregivers. Articles excluded were Pilot and Case studies, cancer survivors and adults diagnosed with cancer. The Outcome of the Search Activity resulted in four randomised controlled trails and one cohort study. Methods of Appraisal: A methodological search was implemented through the HyDi. The Hierarchy of Evidence was used to choose the most reliable articles and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the studies. CASP tools according to respective designs were applied to critically appraise the studies. Main results showed that although the psychosocial interventions mentioned were not similar, they all reached positive results. Conclusion: Results confirm that psychosocial interventions reduce stress and promote well-being in caregivers. Implications and Recommendations: An implication was that there were not enough studies conducted regarding psychosocial interventions in relation to the well-being of primary caregivers of children with cancer. Recommendations were done in the practice, education, research, and management areas.