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Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers' experiences during COVID-19.

Weiss CR, Johnson-Koenke R, Hirschman KB. Intersecting challenges: Cancer caregivers' experiences during COVID-19. Palliative care and social practice. 2025 Jun 11; 19:26323524251346226, DOI: 10.1177/26323524251346226.

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Abstract:

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.




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