Changes in rural caregivers' health behaviors while supporting someone with cancer: A qualitative study
Article
Johnston, Elizabeth A., Collins, Katelyn E., Vicario, Jazmin N., Sibthorpe, Chris, Ireland, Michael J. and Goodwin, Belinda C.. 2024. "Changes in rural caregivers' health behaviors while supporting someone with cancer: A qualitative study." Cancer Medicine. 13 (7). https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.7157
| Article Title | Changes in rural caregivers' health behaviors while supporting someone with cancer: A qualitative study |
|---|---|
| ERA Journal ID | 200261 |
| Article Category | Article |
| Authors | Johnston, Elizabeth A., Collins, Katelyn E., Vicario, Jazmin N., Sibthorpe, Chris, Ireland, Michael J. and Goodwin, Belinda C. |
| Journal Title | Cancer Medicine |
| Journal Citation | 13 (7) |
| Article Number | e7157 |
| Number of Pages | 13 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
| Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
| ISSN | 2045-7634 |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.7157 |
| Web Address (URL) | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cam4.7157 |
| Abstract | Purpose: Caring for someone with cancer has a significant impact on usual routines, including caregivers' ability to maintain their own health and wellbeing. Caregivers living in rural areas face additional challenges in supporting someone with cancer, and little is known about the impact of caregiving on the health behaviors of rural caregivers. Therefore, this study explored how caring for someone with cancer affected rural caregivers' health behaviors. Methods: Through semi-structured interviews, 20 rural caregivers described changes in their health behaviors while caring for someone with cancer and the factors underlying these changes. Specific prompts were provided for diet, physical activity, alcohol, smoking, sleep, social connection and leisure, and accessing health care when needed. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was used to identify changes in health behaviors and the factors underlying these changes. The factors identified were mapped to the socioecological framework, identifying areas for intervention across multiple levels (individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy). Results: Rural caregivers reported both positive and negative changes to their diet, physical activity, alcohol, and smoking. Sleep, social connection and leisure, and accessing health care were negatively impacted since becoming a caregiver. Conclusions: Designing interventions to address rural caregivers' coping strategies, reduce carer burden and fatigue, improve access to cooking and exercise facilities and social support while away from home, reduce the need to travel for treatment, and increase the financial support available could yield widespread benefits for supporting the health and wellbeing of rural caregivers. © 2024 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
| Keywords | alcohol |
| Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
| ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 529999. Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| Byline Affiliations | Cancer Council Queensland, Australia |
| Queensland University of Technology | |
| QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Australia | |
| School of Psychology and Wellbeing | |
| Centre for Health Research | |
| Centre for Health Research (Research) | |
| University of Melbourne |
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