Experiences of Carers of People with Lung Cancer: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Providing unpaid care for a spouse, partner, relative or friend is a day-to-day reality. Carers in the context of cancer have a similar profile to carers in the UK. Lung Cancer is a low profile cancer but yet is the second most common cancer in Scotland associated with social deprivation, poverty, therapeutic nihilism, and stigma. The significant contribution by carers of people affected by cancer has resulted in their recognition as “partners in the delivery of care”.

Aim: To explore the experiences of the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer from a carer’s perspective.

Methods: Unstructured interviews were undertaken with 15 carers of relatives with a lung cancer diagnosis. The individual with lung cancer identified carers. Data were analysed using a qualitative design and analysis in the grounded theory tradition. Findings: Analysis of data from the carers indicated that whilst carers are engulfed by the cancer experience and face barriers and deficits of care, they have illustrated and demonstrated that they have their own assets, which are further enhanced by community and societal resources. Five categories were identified and a sense of carer resilience emerged. Subsequently the theory developed was fostering carer resilience in lung cancer care.

Discussion: Resilience emerged in carers at a time of increasing interest within the wider context of health and social care. Although resilience is not a new concept there are a lack of studies including carers in a cancer context and until now none in lung cancer. Resilience cannot and should not be fostered by one professional group and therefore an opportunity exists for collaboration between agencies involved in the provision of services for carers of relatives with cancer. The limitations of the study are acknowledged.

Conclusion: The findings from this study have implications for practice beyond healthcare and as Scotland embarks upon health and social care integration it is perhaps an opportune time to develop that. Findings highlighted the potential, strengths, interests, abilities and capacity of carers rather than their limitations. Future research could look specifically at resilience in carers of relatives with lung cancer in addition to testing interventions to enhance carers’ resilience.