New publication: Psychosocial interventions for post-treatment haematological cancer survivors: An integrative review
Authored by Deborah Raphael, Rosemary Frey, Tess Moeke-Maxwell & Merryn Gott.
Photograph by Natalie Anderson
This new paper examines the existent literature on the current psychosocial interventions used to manage distress in post-treatment haematological cancer survivors. This form of intervention has been shown to improve psychological and physical wellbeing in cancer survivors. The term psychosocial is defined as the psychological and social components of a disease and its treatment. Some of the psychosocial parts of cancer are its effects on patients’ feelings, moods, beliefs, the way they cope, and relationships with family, friends, and co-workers (National Cancer Institute, 2014). The study found four main psychosocial interventions were commonly utilised: 1) care planning, 2) psychological therapy, 3) supported self-care/self-management, and 4) survivorship clinic visits. Generally, these interventions supported positive health outcomes for haematological cancer survivors. However, Raphael et al. found that more research is needed to understand how these interventions are received across ethnic groups, given the majority of the study participants within the current literature identified as White/Caucasian. This issue is particularly pressing, given that minoritised ethnic groups are frequently overlooked and, thereby, underserved in cancer survivorship care.
Raphael and colleagues demonstrate the importance of psychosocial interventions for psychological well-being in haematological cancer survivors, given their efficacy in reducing the varied forms of distress associated with haematological cancer treatments. Yet, the existent literature is limited, and further research is crucial. Particularly, further analysis is necessary to understand which psychosocial interventions work best for which demographic groups and why. In this instance, more studies with larger and more diverse sample group would be beneficial.
This research was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.