Abstract
Purpose
About one-fifth of newly diagnosed cancer patients are parents to young children. These patients are at higher risk of psychosocial stress and inability to attend treatment due to having to balance their own healthcare needs with childcare duties. This study aims to explore the impact of childcare on cancer parents and elicit their perspectives on potential supports. The results could help inform the implementation of suitable childcare programs to remove this barrier in accessing care.
Methods
Patients at a large Canadian cancer treatment center were screened by oncologists for having minor children at home. Secure electronic surveys were then distributed to consenting participants. Domains surveyed included patient demographics, childcare burden, impact on treatment, and preference for childcare supports.
Results
The mean age of correspondents was 43.9 (range 33–54), 46 patients (92%) were female, and breast cancer was the most common primary tumor. The median number of children per correspondent was two, and their mean age was 8.4. Balancing childcare with cancer treatment had a significant impact on self-reported stress levels for most correspondents. Twenty (40%) participants had to reschedule and 7 (14%) participants missed at least one appointment due to childcare conflicts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to childcare resources decreased while childcare responsibilities increased. Three-quarters of correspondents reported that a flexible childcare would make it easier for them to adhere to appointment schedules.
Conclusion
Childcare is a significant psychosocial barrier for patients accessing cancer care. Our results indicate that most parents undergoing treatment may benefit from hospital-based childcare services.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Zhang Hao (Jim) Li, Kenzie MacDonald, Katherine Preston, and Paris-Ann Ingledew. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Zhang Hao (Jim) Li and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the University of British Columbia (May 11, 2020; REB number: H20-00535).
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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The authors have no relevant financial interests to disclose. Dr. Meredith Giuliani is serving on advisory boards for AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers.
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Li, Z.H., MacDonald, K., Preston, K. et al. Evaluating the childcare needs of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Support Care Cancer 31, 463 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07923-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07923-z