The research aimed to test the job demands-resources (JD-R) model on a sample of Italian oncology workers, and the role of perceived organizational support (POS) as a moderator of the effects of JD on outcomes (job satisfaction and burnout [BO]).

Based on the JD-R model, a correlational study was designed to investigate the relationships between JD, POS as a job resource, self-esteem (as a personal resource), and job outcomes (BO and job satisfaction); the research involved a sample of oncology nurses (N = 235) from an Italian public hospital, who completed a questionnaire during working hours. Relationships between variables were investigated with multiple regressions and moderation analysis.

Results confirmed that JD predict both BO and job satisfaction; POS is a weak predictor of job outcomes, but its mediator role in the JD-outcomes relationship was confirmed: the more the nurses perceive a supportive organization, the weaker the positive relationship between JD and BO.

Findings are consistent with other contributions that highlighted that organizational job resources may attenuate the adverse effect of JD on positive and negative outcomes: POS may play a central role in employee well-being and health, acting as a possible moderator, and somehow defusing the positive association between JD and outcomes.

The evaluation of the quality of life (QoL) of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is an essential measure to measure the impact of the disease and treatments on the lives of patients. However, in Latin America there is no validated and reliable instrument to assess this construct.

This study aims to validate the EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument in the Mexican population with CRC.

This study aims to validate the EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument in the Mexican population with CRC. The study used an instrumental design and a nonprobabilistic sample due to availability, made up of 251 patients with CRC, with an average age of 54.7 ± 12.28 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, as well as concurrent validity tests.

The exploratory factorial analysis yielded 4 factors that explained 51.64% of the variance, with a Cronbach reliability coefficient of .766 and an Omega index of .725. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the proposed theoretical model fits the data almost perfectly, with an error close to 0, which shows that it is a balanced and parsimonious instrument to measure the QoL of the patients with CRC.

The EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument proved to be a valid and reliable instrument for use in clinical care and research directed at patients with CRC in Mexico. Its use is recommended by multidisciplinary health teams in oncology in Mexico, since it allows knowing the patient’s perspective on the impact of CRC on their life, guiding therapeutic decision-making and being a primary outcome measure.

Palliative care access in Nepal is severely limited, with few health-care providers having training and skills to pain management and other key aspects of palliative care. Online education suggests an innovation to increase access to training and mentoring, which addresses common learning barriers in low- and middle-income countries. Project ECHO (Extensions for Community Health Care Outcomes) is a model of online education which supports communities of practices (COPs) and mentoring through online teaching and case discussions. The use of online education and Project ECHO in Nepal has not been described or evaluated.

An online course, consisting of 14 synchronous weekly palliative care training sessions was designed and delivered, using the Project ECHO format. Course participants included health-care professionals from a variety of disciplines and practice settings in Nepal.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a virtual palliative care training program in Nepal on knowledge and attitudes of participants.

Pre- and post-course surveys assessed participants’ knowledge, comfort, and attitudes toward palliative care and evaluated program acceptability and barriers to learning.

Forty-two clinicians, including nurses (52%) and physicians (48%), participated in program surveys. Participants reported significant improvements in their knowledge and attitudes toward core palliative care domains. Most participants identified the program as a supportive COP, where they were able to share and learn from faculty and other participants.

Project ECHO is a model of online education which can successfully be implemented in Nepal, enhancing local palliative care capacity. Bringing together palliative care local and international clinical experts and teachers supports learning for participants through COP. Encouraging active participation from participants and ensuring that teaching addresses availability and practicality of treatments in the local health-care context addresses key barriers of online education.

This study describes a model of structured virtual learning program, which can be implemented in settings with limited access to palliative care to increase knowledge and attitudes toward palliative care. The program equips health-care providers to better address serious health-related suffering, improving the quality of life for patients and their caregivers. The program demonstrates a model of training which can be replicated to support health-care providers in rural and remote settings.

Critical illness is associated with multiple undesired impacts, including residual psychological distress, frequently associated with recollections of critical illness. Dignity-related distress is highly prevalent among the one-fifth of critically ill patients who are alert. The distress may be associated with unpleasant recollections of care. We examined whether patients at risk for dignity-related distress had recall of their reported distress approximately 1 week after assessment and whether this recall differed from another high-risk group, specifically patients undergoing dialysis for end-stage renal disease.

The prospective cohort study included patients with critical illness and patients with end-stage renal disease enrolled from intensive care units (ICUs) and dialysis units at 1 academic center. Distress was assessed using the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI). Participants received in-patient or telephonic follow-up 7–10 days after the initial interaction. Follow-up encounters focused on recollection of key aspects of the interpersonal interaction as well as the content of the PDI.

A total of 32 critically ill patients participated in initial assessment and follow-up. In total, 26 dialysis patients participated in both phases. The groups’ demographics differed. Fifty percent (n = 16) of critically ill patients and 58% (n = 15) of dialysis patients reported a mean score per item of >1.6, corresponding with severe distress on the PDI. Among the ICU patients, the 95% upper 2-sided confidence interval for the median level of recall was commensurate with the participant having had no recall of the initial interview beyond remembering that there was an interview. The end-stage renal disease group did not demonstrate significantly better recall.

Dignity-related distress is high in both critically ill patients and those with end-stage renal disease; however, recollection of assessment is poor in both groups. Any intervention designed to mitigate dignity-related distress will need either to be immediately deployable or not to be reliant upon recollection for impact.

To explore the learning experiences of participants (learners and teachers), in a yearlong tele-teaching and mentoring program on pediatric palliative care, which was conducted using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model and consisted of 27 teaching and clinical case discussion sessions for palliative medicine residents in India and Bangladesh. The goal of the study is to explore how participation and learning is motivated and sustained for both residents and teachers, including the motivators and challenges to participation and learning in a novel online format.

Qualitative interviews with ECHO participants, including learners and teachers were conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis of interview data was conducted within an interpretive description approach.

Eleven physicians (6 residents, 5 teachers) participated in interviews. Key elements of the ECHO program which participants identified as supporting learning and participation include small group discussions, a flipped classroom, and asynchronous interactions through social media. Individual learner characteristics including effective self-reflection and personal circumstances impact learning. Providing opportunities for a diverse group of learners and teachers, to interact in communities of practice (COP) enhances learning. Three major themes and 6 subthemes describing learning processes were identified. Themes included (1) ECHO program structure, (2) learner characteristics, and (3) COP. Subthemes included flipped classroom, breakout rooms, learning resources, personal circumstances, self-awareness of learning needs, and community interactions.

Project ECHO suggests a novel model to train health providers, which is effective in low- and middle-income countries. Online learning programs can lead to learning through community of practice when learners and teachers are able to interact and engage in peer support and reflective practice. Educators should consider incorporating small group discussions, a flipped classroom design, and opportunities for asynchronous interactions to enhance learning for participants in online learning programs.

The clinic visit is a critical point of contact for family caregivers. However, only 37% of family caregivers are able to accompany patients to visits. When they cannot attend, caregivers receive visit information to assist with their caregiving. However, little is known about how method of receiving information from clinic visits is associated with important caregiver outcomes. This study sought to determine whether mode of receiving clinic visit information (speaking with the patient, attending the visit, or using an after-visit summary [AVS]) was associated with changes in caregiver burden, caregiver preparedness, and the positive aspects of caregiving.

Cross-sectional web-based survey of a national sample of adult family caregivers. Multiple linear regression models determined associations between communication modes and caregivers’ burden, preparedness, and positive aspects of caregiving, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates.

Respondents (N = 340) were mostly male (58%), White (59%), ranged from 18 to 85 years old, and supported patients with conditions including diabetes, dementia, and cancer. Speaking with patients was associated with increases in positive aspects of caregiving (95% CI = 2.01, 5.42) and an AVS was associated with increases in positive aspects of caregiving (95% CI = 0.4, 3.56) and preparedness for caregiving (95% CI = 0.61, 3.15). Using any method of receiving information from visits was associated with the greatest increase in preparedness, compared to not receiving visit information. We did not observe an association between method of communication and caregiver burden.

Method of communicating visit information is associated with improvements in caregiver preparedness and the positive aspects of caregiving, though caregiver burden may be unaffected by information exchange. Given the limitations of current communication methods, future work should explore directionality of the associations we found and identify visit communication strategies with caregivers that optimize caregiver and patient outcomes.

Meeting the needs of people accessing healthcare from ethnic minority (EM) groups is of great importance. An insight into their experience is needed to improve healthcare providers’ ability to align their support with the perspectives and needs of families. This review provides insight into how families from EM backgrounds experience children’s palliative care (CPC) by answering the question, “What are the experiences of EM families of children’s palliative care across developed countries?”

A systematic search of articles from 6 databases (Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Global Health) with no limit to the date of publication. The search was conducted twice, first in June 2022 and again in December 2022. The extracted data were analyzed using thematic synthesis.

Eight studies explored the experiences of families of EM in different high-income countries. Four themes were identified: unmet needs leading to communication gaps, accessibility of hospital services and resources, the attitude of healthcare workers, and the need for survival as an immigrant.

Overall, the study shows EM families rely heavily on healthcare professionals’ cultural competence in delivering palliative care for their children. There is an interplay between EM families’ culture, spiritual ties, communication, and social needs from this review. Understanding how to bridge the communication gap and how families use their culture, faith, and spirituality to manage their pain, and grief and improve their quality of life would be extremely beneficial for healthcare practitioners in increasing their support to EM families accessing CPC.

Social workers are vital in delivering psychosocial services in palliative care, yet their specific roles in palliative oncology remain undefined. This study aimed to delineate the current practice role of oncology social workers involvement in palliative care in the United States.

This study utilized a cross-sectional design and involved secondary analysis of data from a nationwide survey focused on workforce conditions for oncology social workers. The participants were social workers who were directly involved in providing care to cancer patients and delivering palliative care services. They completed an online survey in which they indicated the relevance of 91 tasks related to their practice. The survey also collected individual demographic and work-related characteristics. Exploratory factor analysis was used to achieve the study objective.

Responses from a secondary data set of 243 oncology social workers involved in palliative care results in a 6-factor solution comprising 34 tasks. These factors were identified as: Therapeutic Interventions for Individuals, Couples, and Families; Facilitate Patient Care Decision-making; Care Coordination; Assessment and Emotional Support; Organization and Community Service; and Equity and Justice. All 6 factors demonstrated good internal reliability, as indicated by Cronbach’s alpha scores above 0.70.

The findings can be used to develop job descriptions and education for social workers employed in palliative cancer care. The clear role descriptions also make social work visible to other professionals in palliative oncology. By clarifying the roles of oncology social workers, this study contributes to the improvement of palliative care delivery and enhances interprofessional collaboration within cancer care teams.

Virtual reality (VR) offers the prospect of a safe and effective adjunct therapeutic modality to promote mental health and reduce distress from symptoms in palliative care patients. Common physiological and psychological symptoms experienced at the end of life may impact the person’s participation in day-to-day activities that bring them meaning. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of VR interventions on occupational participation and distress from symptoms.

To describe the stimulus, results, and learnings from a single-site pilot study of virtual reality therapy in a specialist palliative care setting.

Participants engaged in a VR session lasting from 9 to 30 minutes related to coping with pain, inner peace and mindfulness, adventure, and bucket list.

The pilot prospective quantitative observational cohort study was conducted from November 2021 through March 2022 using a pre-post VR intervention research design. Quantitative data was collected using patient-rated assessments and a wireless pulse oximeter. Occupational performance, satisfaction, and distress symptoms were measured using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration Symptom Assessment Scale (PCOC SAS). The intervention and study design adhered to international guidelines.

Ten participants engaged in the VR interventions. Data showed significantly improved occupational performance and satisfaction scores (p < .001), decreases in PCOC SAS distress from pain (p = .01), fatigue (p < .001), and heart rate (p = .018). No adverse side effects were observed.

Outcomes included an analysis of virtual reality’s effectiveness to alleviate symptom burden and increase occupational participation for palliative care patients. Of specific interest to the research team was the application of virtual reality in a community–based and inpatient palliative care context to supplement allied health services and its feasibility of integration into standard palliative care.

VR therapy showed positive improvements in the participants’ occupational performance, satisfaction, and distress from pain and fatigue.

The concept of altruism is evidenced in various disciplines but remains understudied in end-of-life (EOL) contexts. Patients at the EOL are often seen as passive recipients of care, whereas the altruism of professionals and families receives more research and clinical attention. Our aim was to summarize the state of the scientific literature concerning the concept of patient altruism in EOL contexts.

In May 2023, we searched 11 databases for scientific literature on patient altruism in EOL contexts in consultation with a health information specialist. The scoping review is reported using the PRISMA checklist for scoping reviews. We used a data charting form to deductively extract data from the selected articles and then mapped data into 4 themes related to our research questions: how authors describe and employ the concept of patient altruism; expressions of patient altruism; consequences of patients’ altruistic acts; and possible interventions fostering patient altruism.

Excluding duplicates, 2893 articles were retrieved; 33 were included in the final review. Altruism was generally considered as an act or intention oriented toward the benefit of a specific (known) or non-specific (generic) recipient. Patients expressed altruism through care and support, decisions to withhold treatment or actively hasten death, and engagement in advance care planning. Consequences of altruism were categorized in patient-centered (contribution to meaning in life and quality of life), non-patient-centered (leaving a positive impact and saving money), and negative consequences (generating feelings of guilt, exposing individuals with low self-esteem). Interventions to encourage altruism comprised specific interventions, providing opportunities to plan for future care, and recognizing and respecting the patients’ altruistic motivations.

We identified heterogeneous and limited research conceptualization of patient altruism and its operationalization in palliative care settings. A deeper conceptual, empirical, and theoretical exploration of patient altruism in EOL is necessary.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, necessitating substantial social support during diagnosis and treatment. This study examines the role of social capital in breast cancer management, focusing on the experiences of patients.

The objective of the study was to explore the role of social capital in breast cancer management among women living with breast cancer in Lagos, Nigeria.

Using a qualitative design, the study recruited 23 women with breast cancer receiving treatment at a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were content analyzed to identify themes related to social capital.

The study found that social capital, crucial for breast cancer patients’ emotional and instrumental support, stems from various sources such as relatives, immediate family, spouses, places of worship, friends, and neighbors. Effective coping and management of the condition were facilitated through this support network. However, assistance from places of worship, friends, and neighbors was only accessible to those who openly acknowledged their health conditions and had established connections with these social groups. Relationships led to support only when there was a disclosure of the health condition.

(1) This finding reinforces the importance of integrating social support mechanisms including family, friends, and community networks into breast cancer management programs. (2) The study identifies diverse sources of social capital, including relatives, family, spouses, places of worship, friends, and neighbors, stressing the need for tailored support networks. (3) Research reveals the link between health condition disclosure and support accessibility from groups like places of worship and friends, and it emphasizes creating stigma-free environments for patients to disclose health status comfortably. (4) The study highlights family involvement in breast cancer management as crucial for effective coping. Healthcare professionals should prioritize interventions strengthening family support systems. (5) Findings of stress community support for better breast cancer outcomes, advocating for initiatives like support groups and awareness campaigns to boost social capital and aid affected individuals.

The study emphasizes the significance of involving family members in the breast cancer management process and highlights the need for support systems within families and communities to facilitate better outcomes for breast cancer patients.

The study examines perspectives of patients in home hospice care; their informal caregivers; palliative health-care providers (HCPs); and family physicians, all regarding patients’ unmet needs and quality of life (QoL)-related concerns.

Participants from all 4 groups were approached within 2 months after the patient’s admission to the home hospice care unit. Participants completed Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaires, for patient’s QoL-related concerns. Qualitative analysis of short narratives was conducted using ATLAS.ti software for systematic coding.

In total, 78 participants completed the study questionnaires: 24 patients, 22 informal caregivers, 22 palliative HCPs, and 11 family physicians. Informal caregivers gave higher scores (i.e., greater severity) than patients for fatigue on ESAS (p = 0.009); and family physicians lower scores than patients for ESAS drowsiness (p = 0.046). Compared with patients, palliative HCPs gave higher scores for patient emotional-spiritual concerns (77.2% vs. 41.7%, p = 0.02); lower scores for gastrointestinal concerns (p = 0.048); and higher scores for overall function (p = 0.049). Qualitative assessment identified a gap between how patients/informal caregivers vs. palliative HCPs/family physicians regard emotional-spiritual themes, including discussing issues related to death and dying.

The findings of the present study suggest that exploring a multifaceted cohort of home hospice patients, informal caregivers, palliative HCPs, and family physicians may provide insight on how to reduce communication gaps and address unmet needs of patients, particularly regarding emotional and spiritual concerns.

While the 4 groups were similar in their scoring of patient QoL-related concerns, there were discrepancies for some concerns (e.g., patient fatigue) and expectations regarding the need to discuss emotional and spiritual concerns, including on death and dying. Educational initiatives with programs providing training to all 4 groups may help bridge this gap, creating a more open and collaborative hospice care environment.

Family involvement in the lives of people who have dementia and live in long-term care is important, but family members may face challenges communicating and connecting with their loved one as dementia progresses. A type of therapeutic humor (Laughter Care) delivered by trained specialists aims to engage people with dementia who reside in long-term care through creative play and laughter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Laughter Care Specialists (LCSs) regarding families’ engagement with the program.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with LCSs (n = 8) and analyzed inductively using thematic analysis.

Family members were reported to initially have varied degrees of openness toward Laughter Care, but often become more accepting after observing positive engagement with the person with dementia. Family members were perceived to benefit from the program through witnessing the person with dementia enjoy joyous and light interactions, learn new ways of communicating and connecting with the person with dementia, and engage in positive interactions at end of life.

Laughter Care may provide family members with novel ways of communicating and connecting with people who have dementia at end of life as well as comfort into bereavement.

Olanzapine is an atypical neuroleptic indicated for treatment of various psychiatric disorders, but it has also several indications in palliative care (PC) patients: opioids misuse, nausea not related to chemotherapy, anorexia-cachexia syndrome, and sleep and mood disorders. Peripheral and facial edema are a rare side effect of the treatment with olanzapine. I report a case of an advanced cancer patient cared receiving PC who developed moderate tongue edema on day 1 of a low dose of olanzapine.

A patient with advance and metastatic colon cancer presented moderate tongue edema on day 1 of a low dose (2.5 mg) of olanzapine for the treatment of his nausea, anorexia-cachexia syndrome, and mood disorder (mainly anxiety).

The patient discontinued the drug with resolution of the edema. The day after he called our outpatients’ service, a prompt physical examination, together with blood tests, excluded other differential diagnosis.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case reporting head and neck localized edema due to olanzapine treatment in a patient with advanced cancer receiving PC. Considering the increasing use of olanzapine as off-label treatment in these patients (often for cluster symptoms), our report could help clinicians in daily practice and researchers on put a deeper focus on indications for olanzapine in PC.

We aimed to investigate effects of prognostic communication strategies on emotions, coping, and appreciation of consultations in advanced cancer.

For this experimental study, we created 8 videos of a scripted oncological consultation, only varying in prognostic communication strategies. Disease-naive individuals (n = 1036) completed surveys before and after watching 1 video, while imagining being the depicted cancer patient. We investigated effects of the type of disclosure (prognostic disclosure vs. communication of unpredictability vs. non-disclosure) and content of disclosure (standard vs. standard and best-case vs. standard, best- and worst-case survival scenarios; numerical vs. word-based estimates) on emotions, coping, and appreciation of consultations. Moderating effects of individual characteristics were tested.

Participants generally reported more satisfaction (p < .001) after prognostic disclosure versus communication of unpredictability and less uncertainty (p = .042), more satisfaction (p = .005), and more desirability (p = .016) regarding prognostic information after numerical versus word-based estimates. Effects of different survival scenarios were absent. Prognostic communication strategies lacked effects on emotions and coping. Significant moderators included prognostic information preference and uncertainty tolerance.

In an experimental setting, prognostic disclosure does not cause more negative emotions than non-disclosure and numerical estimates are more strongly appreciated than words. Oncologists’ worries about harming patients should not preclude disclosing (precise) prognostic information, yet sensitivity to individual preferences and characteristics remains pivotal.

According to the “Last Year of Life in Cologne” study, 68% of patients with a serious and terminal illness wanted to die at home, but 42% died in hospital. Only 1 in 5 died at home. Most people want to spend their last days and hours at home, but the reality is that this is not always possible. Recommendations are needed on how best to support families to enable people to die at home – if this is their preferred place of death. Our aim was to identify the factors that make it possible for people to die at home and to analyze factors of dying at home.

Germany-wide quantitative cross-sectional online survey of bereaved adult relatives.

The needs of 320 relatives of patients who wished to die at home were explored. Of these, 198 patients died at home and 122 did not. In the last 3 months of life, caregivers needed support in managing out-of-hours care (p < 0.001), financing (p = 0.012), preparing and organizing home care (both p < 0.001), communicating with the patient and medical staff (p = 0.012 and p = 0.009, respectively), and pain management (p < 0.001). Relatives whose next of kin did not die at home had higher needs, suggesting that these factors are key to home care of the dying.

The process of dying at home begins long before the actual dying phase. To minimize caregiver burden and improve symptom management, advanced home care plans are needed, with ongoing reassessment of family preferences and abilities.

We determined the validity and reliability of the Spanish translation Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC-Sp) questionnaire to identify the palliative care (PC) needs of patients with chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Colombia.

We developed a cross-sectional observational study of scale assessment in adults with the aim of determining the validity and reliability of the SPARC-Sp questionnaire to identify the PC needs of patients with NCDs receiving outpatient or inpatient care at the Hospital Universitario San Jose of Popayan – ESE, Colombia, from 2021 to 2022.

We applied a questionnaire consisting of demographic, clinical data, and SPARC-Sp to 507 participants. The constructed model explained 75% of the variance with an adequate fit according to the root mean square residual (0.03), the comparative fit index (0.98), and acceptable reliability (McDonald’s total omega 0.4–0.9). Opportunities for improvement are the reformulation and inclusion of particular words to improve the representativeness and clarity of the domains of communication and information, religious, and spiritual issues.

This research represents the first validation of SPARC in Spanish. SPARC-Sp is an instrument that allows initiating a conversation of the patient’s main needs through a systematic assessment of the patients’ main needs. Its psychometric validation demonstrated good fit and acceptable reliability.

To explore the acceptability of screening for family-reported outcomes (FROs) among cancer caregivers (unpaid family members or friends who provide support to patients with cancer) and identify from their perspective the key components of a FRO screening program.

Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 23 adult caregivers of people with cancer between 2020 and 2021. Interview questions focused on acceptability of FRO screening, types of FROs, timing/frequency of screening, preferred resources following screening, and communication of FROs to patients and clinicians. Participants were recruited in Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis and constant comparison.

Almost all caregivers welcomed FRO screening in usual care and viewed it as an avenue toward obtaining more resources. Other potential benefits of FRO screening included increased self-reflection and role acknowledgment. Caregivers prioritized screening for emotional symptoms, and most preferred that the results be shared with the patient’s treating team rather than their primary care provider. Caregivers did not want results to be shared with patients, instead favoring learning how best to discuss results with patients. Many spoke of a “one stop shop” containing all relevant information on caring for the patient (first) and for themselves (second). Opinions regarding timing and frequency of FRO screening differed. Periodic administration of FRO measures, with each one not exceeding 20 minutes, was deemed appropriate.

This study extends the concept of patient-reported outcome measures to caregivers, and findings can be used to guide the development of FRO screening programs.

High levels of caregiver burden (CB) are experienced by informal caregivers of pediatric patients with cancer. There is increasing evidence highlighting the extent of CB across sub-Saharan African countries, although there remains lack of interventions that target improvements in their experience. This study aimed to determine the impact of a structured psychoeducation program on caregivers’ outcomes relating to preparedness to provide care, burden of caregiving, and quality of life (QoL).

This quasi-experimental (pre-and-posttest) design, involved family caregivers of children on admission for cancer treatment in 4 Nigerian tertiary hospitals. Eligible participants received 2 structured, psychoeducational training sessions delivered by a multidisciplinary oncology team, focusing on the management of patients’ condition, spiritual care, self-care, and support.

Subjects were mainly female (79.5%) and mostly mothers to children undergoing cancer treatment (74.7%). Commonest cancer type was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (23.9%) with evidence of metastatic disease found in 9.6% of children. Significant improvements were observed between pre- and posttest for unmet needs (z = −9.3; p < 0.001), preparedness for caregiving in palliative care (PCPC) (z = −7.0; p < 0.001), and overall QoL (z = −7.3; p < 0.001). A significant reduction in CB was also reported (z = −8.7; p < 0.001).

This psychoeducational intervention (PEI) resulted in significant improvements in unmet needs, CB and significant improvements in PCPC. However, a reduction in QoL of the family caregivers was also observed. Findings from this study should encourage the use of well-crafted PEIs, delivered within hospital settings to promote improvements in outcomes for informal caregivers of hospitalized children suffering from cancer, in an African context. Further intervention development is required to better understand intervention components influencing changes in outcomes, while exploring feasibility testing and adaptation to similar settings in Nigeria and within Africa.