Great Plains American Indians' Perspectives on Patient and Family Needs Throughout the Cancer Journey.
Mary J Isaacson, Tinka Duran, Gina R Johnson and 8 others
PMID 37155972WHAT IT FOUND
Patients and families in Great Plains Tribal communities described needing accompaniment, home health support, and clear education.
They faced medication access issues and caregiver strain. Oncology teams should coordinate with Indian Health Service pharmacies and consider Tribal navigators.
Key findings
01Participants identified accompaniment, home health care needs, and patient/family education as central themes.
02Families often provide makeshift home care due to lack of visiting nurses, leading to strain and difficulty managing symptoms and medications.
03Patients and families struggle to ask questions or report symptoms due to cultural norms and lack of trust, highlighting the need for simple, clear education.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Findings are specific to three reservations in the Great Plains and may not generalize to other Tribal communities. The qualitative analysis team included three members new to narrative data analysis. Sample size was small and determined by community advisory board feedback rather than statistical power.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that a specific intervention works. This is a qualitative study describing needs and experiences. It does not test the effectiveness of navigators or home health programs, only that patients and families identified them as critical needs.