title: The impact of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on patients with advanced cancer and their family members: A qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the impact of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on patients with advanced cancer, such as its impact on the quality of life of this vulnerable group. To date, research on meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the palliative care setting has had a quantitative focus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus diagnosis on patients and their carers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reports upon a qualitative interview study of nine patients with advanced cancer and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and nine family members (n = 18). Framework analysis was used to analyse the data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients and family members of patients with advanced cancer either admitted to the specialist palliative care unit or receiving palliative care in the hospital setting, who had a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation, were considered for inclusion in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes were identified using framework analysis: reactions to receiving a meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus diagnosis, the need for effective communication of the meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus diagnosis, the enigmatic nature of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and lessons to guide the future care of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article indicates that meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus can have a significant impact on advanced cancer patients and their families. This impact may be underestimated, but early and careful face-to-face explanation about meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its implications can help patients and their families to cope better with it. These findings should be considered when developing policy relating to meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus management and infection control in specialist palliative care settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Wales, UK Gleeson.aoife@gmail.com Aoife.gleeson@wales.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010356:Patient Isolation / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Palliative care; hospices; interview; meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; neoplasms; qualitative research