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Social support provided by and strain experienced by African-American cancer caregivers

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Abstract

Background

Cancer is the second most common condition among people over 50, behind only dementia, associated with caregiving. As treatments improve, the number of cancer caregivers will increase. However, there is limited research about African-American cancer caregivers (AACCs).

Purpose

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to describe (1) the types of social support provided by and (2) the levels of strain reported by AACCs.

Methods

Cancer patients from a regional safety net hospital nominated family caregivers who helped them after their cancer diagnosis. Consented caregivers were interviewed in the waiting room while the patient received treatment or later by phone using the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI), five structured interview questions, and demographic questions—20 min. Responses to the interview questions were processed using Miles and Huberman’s content analysis guide. Descriptive statistics for demographics and the MCSI were performed using SPSS.

Results

Of the 45 AACCs, 64 % had medical conditions. Caregivers reported patients’ pain (31 %), stress (9 %), and nausea (7 %) as the most common symptoms. AACCs most commonly provided instrumental (67 %) or emotional (42 %) support; spiritual (20 %) and informational (20 %) support were less common.

Conclusion

Emphasis is needed in providing care assistance information to the AACCs to ensure effective support for their loved ones. This study highlights areas of support where assistance can be useful among AACCs.

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Acknowledgments

The research reported in this manuscript has been funded through the American Cancer Society’s Intramural Research Department, and it has received Internal Review Board approval. The authors assume full responsibility and interpretation of these data. We would also like to thank the participants for contributing their time in support of this study.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, 250 Williams Street, Suite 600, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA

    Dexter L. Cooper & Tenbroeck Smith

  2. Cancer Control Sciences, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Barbara D. Powe

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  1. Dexter L. Cooper
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  2. Barbara D. Powe
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  3. Tenbroeck Smith
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Correspondence to Dexter L. Cooper.

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Cooper, D.L., Powe, B.D. & Smith, T. Social support provided by and strain experienced by African-American cancer caregivers. Support Care Cancer 21, 2719–2725 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1849-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1849-9

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