Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| No | Reference | Country | Study design | Sample Size (FCG)1 | Age (mean categories) | Cancer type | Main care giving consequence(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living in a state of suspension–a phenomenological approach to the spouse’s experience of oral cancer (20) | Sweden | A phenomenological | 10 | 64.5 | Oral cancer | lived relation, Negligence of self, A restricted life, Hope in a future, trying to cope with partner’s difficulties, Feelings of sympathy, |
| 2 | The Impact of Cancer on Family Relationships Among Chinese Patients (21) | China | Group expressed concerns | 84 | – | Lung, Breast, Prostate, Stomach, Nasopharyngeal, Pancreatic, Colorectal, Liver, Gynecological, Lymphoma, Leukemia | Suffering, conceal emotion, anxiety, burdening, experience of distress, designing interventions to help patients cope with cancer, calmly, Strengthening, coping |
| 3 | What are the perceived needs and challenges of Informal caregivers in home cancer palliative care? Qualitative data to construct a feasible psycho-educational intervention (22) | United Kingdom | Semi-structured qualitative interviews | 20 | Lung, Prostate, Thyroid, Other (kidney, liver, small intestine) | Uncertainty, Distress, Financial, Challenges with Time, Sleep deprivation, health, Financial Problem, Distress at witnessing disease progression, isolation, Growing resilience and appreciation. | |
| 4 | Hope against hope: exploring the hopes and challenges of rural female caregivers of persons with advanced cancer (23) | Canada | narrative analysis | 23 | 59 | – | Hope, self-care strategies, their emotional journey, well-being, relied on prayer, Hope, hopeful days, Faith, dynamics relationship, self-care strategies to cope |
| 5 | Chronicles of informal caregiving in cancer: using ‘The Cancer Family Caregiving Experience’ model as an explanatory Framework (24) | United Kingdom | Semi-structured interviews | 53 | 64.5 | Gastrointestinal, Head and Neck, Gynecological, Lung, Breast, Brain, Prostate and Lymphomas | illness-related factors, Care demands, lack of Social support, problem with Employment/finances, Lifestyle change, Appraisal Powerlessness, Hopelessness/helplessness, Entrapment, Future outlook, Health and well-being Mental impact, Physical impact, Cognitive/behavioral Denial, Acceptance, Positive attitude, Maintaining normality, Keep busy, Maintaining normality |
| 6 | Oncological patient in palliative care: the perspective of the family caregiver. (1) | Brazil | exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach | 12 | 51 | breast cancer ethmoidal breast, larynx, spine, lung, spleen, intestine, cervix, penis, and prostate cancer | Denial, acceptance spirituality Reflecting on the location of the terminal illness: death at home or in the hospital in the perception of the family member Subsidies to support the family member |
| 7 | Qualitative analysis of the experience of mental fatigue of family caregivers of patients with cancer in phase I trials (25) | United States | Qualitative analysis | 79 | – | Advanced cancer | mental fatigue, negative effect on their own self-care, wanted more information and support from professionals |
| 8 | The Challenges, Emotions, Coping, and Gains of Family Caregivers Caring for Patients With Advanced Cancer in Singapore (26) | Singapore | qualitative study; | 19 | 46.4 | All | caregiving challenges, negative emotions, ways of coping, positive gains of caregiving(Spiritual), Satisfaction, Find meaning of life, Support from family members, increased family closeness, Find a balance, increased knowledge |
| 9 | The Spiritual Challenges Faced by Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer (20) | Iran | qualitative study | 21 | 55.5 | All | Spiritual crisis Spiritual distress Disappointment Spiritual coherence Transcendence Appreciation and gratitude Perceiving the protection of God /Seeking God’ satisfaction Being tested by God, trust in God, Appreciation and gratitude, satisfaction |
| 10 | Explaining the experiences and consequences of care among family caregivers of patients with cancer in the terminal phase: a qualitative research (27) | Iran | A qualitative content analysis method | 18 | 39 | All | Care Challenges and Consequences, Economic Pressures, Physical Problems, Family Challenges, Emotional-Psychological Pressure, Supportive-Palliative Factors, Spirituality, feeling satisfaction from caregiving, increased sense of responsibility towards family, valuing the moments of being with the patient and family, the feeling of getting close to God, getting in touch with death and the transient nature of life, recognizing the value of the parents very existence, spiritual growth and transcendence, and recognizing the love between the patient and self, feeling satisfaction |
| 11 | Perceptions of family caregivers of cancer patients about the challenges of caregiving: a qualitative study (14) | Iran | qualitative study | 21 | 44.5 | Adenocarcinoma (gastric, uterus, breast, lung, colon and liver), Sarcoma, Leukemia | Confusion Uncertainty disintegration setback new perspective |
| 12 | The experiences of family caregivers providing palliative cancer care in Thailand (28) | Thailand | Qualitative study took a phenomenological | 14 | 46.5 | All | caring as a team caring as supportive care taking care to keep patients happy, caring for the self while looking after a relative, Trying to be strong, Having unity in the family, Responsibility, Supporting, Balance |
| 13 | Caregivers needing care: the unmet needs of the family caregivers of end-of-life cancer patients (29) | Iran | semi-structured interviews, content analysis | 18 | All | social needs (support for care, effective communication and financial support.), cognitive needs (comprised of educational support and support in decision-making), and psychological needs (support for psychological trauma, preparation to confront the reality of the death of a loved one, and support for mourning). Preparation to confront. Effective communication | |
| 14 | Family Caregivers’ Perspectives on Communication with Cancer Care Providers (30) | Colombia | thematic analysis of qualitative | 63 | – | All cancer types | sensitive to unmet information needs, and responsive to the potentially different communication preferences of patients and caregivers. Responsive |
| 15 | A Qualitative Study on Cancer Care Burden (31) | Iran | Qualitative study | 16 | 39.3 | Different types of cancer | -burnout (physical problems and psych emotional stress), − role conflict (balancing caring roles and family responsibilities; failure in professional or educational roles), − health system tensions (inadequate support from health professionals; ignorance of family members in health structure), − social challenges of cancer economic burden; taboo of cancer. - Balancing caring roles and family responsibilities |
| 16 | The experience of family caregivers of patients with cancer in an Asian country: A grounded theory approach (5) | Indonesia | Grounded theory | 24 | – | Breast, Ovarian, Cervix, Others | Physical impact/psychological impact/ financial impact/ Social impact/ Sacrifices/ Coping |
| 17 | Cancer family caregivers’ quality of life and the meaning of leisure (32) | South Korea | A Qualitative Study | 10 | - | - | stress process, Caregivers invest a high level of effort in adapting to their situations, Positivity compassionate care, Memory of meaningful times, LACK OF Leisure, Leisure Experiences, Adapting |
| 18 | The role, impact, and support of informal caregivers in the delivery of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer: A multi-country qualitative study (33) | Sub-Saharan Africa | A multi-country qualitative study | 48 | 47 | – | caregivers are coordinators of emotional, practical, and health service matters, caregiving comes at a personal social and financial cost, practical and emotional support received and required, experience of interacting and liaising with palliative care services, medical, physical, financial, and emotional needs, interacting and liaising, improving |
| 19 | Adapting ENABLE for patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers in Singapore: a qualitative formative evaluation (34) | Singapore | Qualitative formative evaluation with a thematic analysis approach | 31 | – | Advanced Cancer | Financial Problem, Frequency and duration of sessions to be kept flexible, sexuality is an issue, experience psycho-emotional struggles, |
| 20 | Challenges of Help-Seeking in Iranian Family Caregivers of Patients with Cancer: A Qualitative Study (35) | Iran | Qualitative study | 15 | 37.93 | – | being strained by social desirability; stigmatizing attitudes toward help-seeking reactive self-forgetfulness resistance to change |
| 21 | Assessing the Comprehensive Training Needs of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study (36) | Canada | Phenomenological Design | 7 | 53.1 | Head and Neck, Breast and Thyroid | significant emotional strain, more practical information, expressed the desire for greater social support, lack of Social Supports, Preparedness and Duties |
| 22 | Family caregivers’ lived experience of caring for hospitalised patients with cancer during the COVID-19 lockdown: A descriptive phenomenological study (13) | A Descriptive phenomenological Approach | 20 | – | Feeling scared for the patient, Living a life feeling trapped, Feeling neglected and unseen, Growing resilience and appreciation. | ||
| 23 | The long-term experience of being a family caregiver of patients surgically treated for esophageal cancer (37) | Sweden | A Qualitative Descriptive Study | 13 | – | Esophageal Cancer | The most essential/evident stress factors for the family caregivers were dis-tress regarding the patients’ nutrition, fear of tumor recurrence and worry about the future. a transition was experienced, going from a family member to a caregiver, and the many psychosocial aspects of this transition. Rewards and benefit, prioritization of life, Health and wellbeing, Self-concept, Changing roles and relationship, Coping |
1Family Caregiver.