Psychosocial Support Needs and Preferences of Caregivers of Lung Cancer Patients

研究表明，相当大比例的晚期癌症患者的家庭照顾者（30%至50%）经历了临床上显著的痛苦。肺癌是癌症死亡的最常见原因，与其他癌症类型的患者相比，患有这种疾病的患者会经历更多的症状困扰，这可能会增加护理需求。目前，对癌症患者的家庭照顾者未充分利用心理社会支持服务的原因了解有限，并且缺乏针对这一人群需求的基于研究的干预措施。 在这项研究中，一个主要家庭照顾者的样本（例如，配偶、成年子女;将招募具有临床显著痛苦的患者（N = 80），以在患者肺癌诊断后约4至6周和3个月后完成个体电话评估。在研究期间未获得心理社会服务的子样本（n = 30）也将在3个月随访的2周内完成定性访谈。本研究旨在探讨：（1）肺癌患者主要家庭照顾者的社会心理和实际需求;（2）这一人群使用社会心理支持服务的社会心理和实际障碍;（3）家庭照顾者对社会心理支持干预的偏好（首选主题、方式、提供者、时间）。最后，在何种程度上理论驱动的人口和心理变量在基线预测随后的心理支持服务的家庭照顾者之间的使用将进行评估。研究结果将直接为设计和提供针对肺癌患者家庭照顾者需求的新的心理社会干预提供信息。此外，这项研究将提供新的和有价值的信息，以确定肺癌患者的家庭照顾者谁是不太可能使用心理社会支持服务，并制定战略，以增加这些服务的适当使用。

Research has shown that a significant proportion of advanced cancer patients' family caregivers (30% to 50%) experience clinically significant distress. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths, and patients with this disease experience more symptom distress relative to patients with other cancer types, which may increase care-giving demands. Currently, there is limited knowledge of the reasons that cancer patients' family caregivers underutilize psychosocial support services, and there is a paucity of research-based interventions that are tailored to the needs of this population. In this study, a sample of primary family caregivers (e.g., spouses, adult children; N = 80) with clinically significant distress will be recruited to complete individual phone assessments approximately 4 to 6 weeks after the patient's lung cancer diagnosis and three months later. A subsample (n = 30) that has not accessed psychosocial services over the study period will also complete a qualitative interview within 2 weeks of the 3- month follow-up. The study aims are to examine: (1) psychosocial and practical needs of primary family caregivers of lung cancer patients; (2) psychosocial and practical barriers to psychosocial support service use in this population; and (3) family caregivers' preferences (preferred topics, modality, provider, timing) regarding psychosocial support interventions. Finally, the extent to which theory-driven demographic and psychosocial variables at baseline predict subsequent psychosocial support service use among family caregivers will be assessed. Results will directly inform the design and delivery of new psychosocial interventions that are tailored to the needs of lung cancer patients' family caregivers. In addition, this study will provide new and valuable information for identifying distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients who are less likely to use psychosocial support services and developing strategies to increase appropriate use of these services.