CAREN logo

You are here

  1. Home
  2. Systematic review of illness uncertainty management interventions for cancer patients and their family caregivers

Systematic review of illness uncertainty management interventions for cancer patients and their family caregivers

Purpose: Illness uncertainty pervades individuals' experiences of cancer across the illness trajectory and is associated with poor psychological adjustment. This review systematically examined the characteristics and outcomes of interventions promoting illness uncertainty management among cancer patients and/or their family caregivers. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched for relevant literature. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies focusing on interventions for uncertainty management in cancer patients and/or their family caregivers. Results: Our database searches yielded 26 studies. Twenty interventions were only offered to cancer patients, who were mostly elder, female, and White. All interventions included informational support. Other intervention components included emotional support, appraisal support, and instrumental support. Most interventions were delivered in person and via telephone (n = 8) or exclusively in person (n = 7). Overall, 18 studies identified positive intervention effects on illness uncertainty outcomes. Conclusion: This systematic review foregrounds the promising potential of several interventions—and especially multi-component interventions—to promote uncertainty management among cancer patients and their family caregivers. To further improve these interventions' effectiveness and expand their potential impact, future uncertainty management interventions should be tested among more diverse populations using rigorous methodologies.

 

Access source material through DOI
Original source (some source materials require subscription or permission to access)

Key Information

Type of Reference
Jour
Type of Work
Review
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISBN/ISSN
09414355
Publication Year
2021
Issue Number
8
Journal Titles
Supportive Care in Cancer
Volume Number
29
Start Page
4623
End Page
4640