Needs of Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review

Abstract

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Informal caregivers for patients with head and neck cancer perform complex caregiving tasks on a daily basis, but caregivers’ needs are rarely acknowledged or addressed in current healthcare practice. LITERATURE SEARCH: A thorough review of CINAHL®, MEDLINE®/PubMed®, and PsycINFO® was conducted by the authors. DATA EVALUATION: 266 manuscripts were identified, with no time limit. The search was conducted in November 2019. In total, 19 articles were included in the review. SYNTHESIS: Throughout the disease trajectory, caregivers’ psychological and emotional support needs are consistently high, whereas information needs diminish over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Informal caregivers are imperative in supplementing the continuing care demands of people living with head and neck cancer; however, they are at risk for experiencing caregiving burden. Skill training and psychological support interventions are needed for educating and supporting caregivers.