'And I thought having a cancer diagnosis was hard': A descriptive phenomenological study of family caregiver experiences navigating the pre-hospital system during COVID-19.
Haixia Ma, Tuan Zhao, Chuchu Wan and 2 others
PMID 36603492WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of cancer patients in Shanghai described lockdown as adding fear, transport barriers, admission delays and financial strain to cancer care.
They valued clear information, policy support and remote contact with clinicians.
Key findings
01Caregivers said lockdown added fear of infection, financial loss and uncertainty to the stress of caring for someone with cancer.
02Community movement controls and hospital screening made admission difficult, and one caregiver reported a six-day admission delay.
03Reliable hotline information and compassionate care reduced caregivers' stress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai during a strict lockdown, so it may not apply to other health systems or to times without lockdown. Only caregivers whose patients were admitted were interviewed, so families who did not seek care or could not get care are missing. Seven participants cared for patients with stage III or IV cancer, so the findings may reflect advanced cancer more than early cancer. The interviewer was a nurse manager known to participants and had experienced similar challenges, so answers may have been influenced by wanting to please or by the interviewer's own perspective. Qualitative interviews describe experiences. They do not show that lockdown, screening, hotlines or telemedicine caused better or worse cancer outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests. No funding source is reported in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that lockdown worsened cancer outcomes or that telemedicine improves care. The study describes caregivers who were admitted to a hospital in Shanghai, not patients who did not seek care, and it reports no treatment effects.