Research article summary (published 30 Aug 2001):

A not-so-silent cry for help. Older female cancer caregivers' need for information.

Full Abstract

Cancer family caregivers face uncertainty every day. The holistic health care practitioner is in a unique position to alleviate some of this uncertainty by providing information. Although this may appear to be straightforward, unfortunately, more often than not, information is not provided or is provided in such a way that it is more harmful than helpful. This article presents findings from a qualitative study conducted with 21 older female caregivers of persons with advanced-stage cancer. Six areas of concern or need arose from the data and are presented with caregiver narrative examples. This article's purpose is not to be prescriptive (e.g., telling holistic health care practitioners what to say and how to say it). Instead, the purpose is to highlight the need for holistic health care practitioners to evaluate their caregivers' individual needs for information and to attempt to provide this information in a sensitive yet factually accurate manner.

Author information

Author/s: Carter, P A (PA);

Affiliation: University of Texas at Austin, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association (J Holist Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2001-Sep; vol 19 (issue 3) : pp 271-84

Dates: Created 2002/02/18; Completed 2002/03/07; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 11847872, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Psychological Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Anecdotes as Topic Caregivers - education; psychology Family - psychology Female

Female Hospice Care - methods; psychology Humans Male Middle Aged Neoplasms - nursing Questionnaires United States

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