Information and support needs of adolescent children of women with breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To elicit detailed descriptions of adolescents' information and support needs in response to their mothers' breast cancer.


METHODS
Exploratory, qualitative.


METHODS
Four different outpatient and inpatient oncology settings in western Canada.


METHODS
31 adolescent children of women in five illness phases.


METHODS
27 semistructured interviews and two focus groups were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using constant comparison techniques. The Communication Subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device also was administered to assess family communication patterns.


RESULTS
Information needs were sources of information, information content, degree of helpfulness, and information timing. Support needs were type, degree of helpfulness, form, and source.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the adolescents reported that their needs were poorly met.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with breast cancer have a need for family-focused care. Further research is required to develop interventions that can assist nurses in providing care that meets the needs of adolescent children and other family members of women with breast cancer.
Kristjanson
Linda J
LJ
School of Nursing, Edith Cowan University, Churchlands, Perth, Western Austrailia. Karen_Chalmers@umanitoba.ca
Chalmers
Karen I
KI
Woodgate
Roberta
R
D000293:Adolescent; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003219:Confidentiality; D004644:Emotions; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010045:Outpatients; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support