How can we help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer? A systematic review of intervention studies
How can we help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer? A systematic review of intervention studies
Background: Family carers play a significant role in managing pain and associated medicines for people with advanced cancer. Research indicates that carers often feel inadequately prepared for the tasks involved, which may impact on carer and patient emotional state as well as the achievement of optimal pain control. However, little is known about effective methods of supporting family carers with cancer pain medicines.
Aims: To systematically identify and review studies of interventions to help carers manage medicines for pain in advanced cancer. To identify implications for practice and research.
Method: A systematic literature search of databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and AMED) was carried out to identify studies of pain medication management interventions that involved family carers of patients with advanced cancer and reported specific outcomes for family carers. Patient pain outcomes were also sought. Studies were quality appraised; key aspects of study design, interventions and outcomes were compared and a narrative synthesis of findings developed.
Results: Eight studies were included; all had significant methodological limitations. The majority reported improvements in family carer knowledge and/or self-efficacy for managing pain medicines; no effect on patient pain outcomes; and no adverse effects. It was not possible to discern any association between particular intervention characteristics and family carer outcomes.
Conclusions: Current evidence is limited, but overall suggests face-to-face educational interventions supported by written and/or other resources have potential to improve carers’ knowledge and self-efficacy for pain management. Further research is needed to identify how best to help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer.
263-275
Latter, Susan
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Hopkinson, Jane
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Richardson, Alison
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Hughes, James
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Lowson, Elizabeth
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Edwards, Deborah
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September 2016
Latter, Susan
83f100a4-95ec-4f2e-99a5-186095de2f3b
Hopkinson, Jane
0d49da6d-9779-4a72-a2ce-8349186529b6
Richardson, Alison
3db30680-aa47-43a5-b54d-62d10ece17b7
Hughes, James
38bed8ad-c7de-4d48-b7d4-2507f33d014b
Lowson, Elizabeth
5f1664ff-e3ad-46d1-b318-c89786a76404
Edwards, Deborah
ffc75d22-6721-44f6-89d4-4250beafbbb9
Latter, Susan, Hopkinson, Jane, Richardson, Alison, Hughes, James, Lowson, Elizabeth and Edwards, Deborah
(2016)
How can we help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer? A systematic review of intervention studies.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 6 (3), .
(doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2015-000958).
(PMID:27150294)
Abstract
Background: Family carers play a significant role in managing pain and associated medicines for people with advanced cancer. Research indicates that carers often feel inadequately prepared for the tasks involved, which may impact on carer and patient emotional state as well as the achievement of optimal pain control. However, little is known about effective methods of supporting family carers with cancer pain medicines.
Aims: To systematically identify and review studies of interventions to help carers manage medicines for pain in advanced cancer. To identify implications for practice and research.
Method: A systematic literature search of databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and AMED) was carried out to identify studies of pain medication management interventions that involved family carers of patients with advanced cancer and reported specific outcomes for family carers. Patient pain outcomes were also sought. Studies were quality appraised; key aspects of study design, interventions and outcomes were compared and a narrative synthesis of findings developed.
Results: Eight studies were included; all had significant methodological limitations. The majority reported improvements in family carer knowledge and/or self-efficacy for managing pain medicines; no effect on patient pain outcomes; and no adverse effects. It was not possible to discern any association between particular intervention characteristics and family carer outcomes.
Conclusions: Current evidence is limited, but overall suggests face-to-face educational interventions supported by written and/or other resources have potential to improve carers’ knowledge and self-efficacy for pain management. Further research is needed to identify how best to help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer.
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CCMM SR Manuscript revisions unmarked copy.docx
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BMJ Support Palliat Care-2016-Latter-bmjspcare-2015-000958.pdf
- Version of Record
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CCMM SR Appendix 1.1 MEDLINE search strategy.pdf
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CCMM SRAppendix 1.2 Intervention studies of pain medication management - Copy.pdf
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CCMM SR paper Figure 1.JPG
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 January 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 5 May 2016
Published date: September 2016
Organisations:
Faculty of Health Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 393023
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/393023
ISSN: 2045-435X
PURE UUID: 8f77ad70-a21c-4621-944c-ab167aee92f0
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Date deposited: 20 Apr 2016 08:03
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:35
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Author:
Jane Hopkinson
Author:
James Hughes
Author:
Elizabeth Lowson
Author:
Deborah Edwards
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