title: Outcomes of a nurse-delivered psychosocial intervention for weight- and eating-related distress in family carers of patients with advanced cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International expert consensus is that psychosocial intervention is likely to help advanced cancer patients and their family carers affected by weight loss and poor appetite.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential for a psychosocial intervention, the Macmillan Approach to Weight and Eating (MAWE), to mitigate weight- and eating-related distress in carers of patients with advanced cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled before and after study was conducted with carers of advanced cancer patients living in the community in the South of England in 2006-7. It used mixed methods to compare carers exposed to MAWE (n=12) with a control group (n=14).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight- and eating-related distress improved in carers exposed to MAWE. Qualitative analysis found that MAWE may help carers by providing information, reassurance, and support for self-management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study of MAWE suggests that it provides benefits as a supportive intervention. Further testing is warranted using a more robust experimental design.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 0AB, Wales, UK. hopkinsonjb@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jane B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
authors.forename: Deborah R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Fenlon
authors.forename: Claire L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing*; D015430:Weight Gain