Unmet needs and relationship challenges of head and neck cancer patients and their spouses.
In head and neck cancer (HNC), couple-based interventions may be useful for facilitating treatment completion, patient rehabilitation, and improving both partners' quality of life. With the goal of identifying targets for future interventions, we conducted a qualitative study to understand patient and spouse unmet needs and relationship challenges during curative radiotherapy for HNC. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six HNC patients (83% male) and six spouses (83% female) within 6 months of completing treatment. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed using grounded theory analysis. Patients and spouses identified several unmet needs including better preparation regarding the severity of physical side effects, a clearer timeline for recovery, and strategies for dealing with their own and each other's emotional reactions. Caregiver's unmet needs included balancing competing roles/responsibilities, making time for self-care, and finding effective strategies for encouraging patient's self-care. Eighty-three percent of spouses and all patients reported increased conflict during treatment. Other relationship challenges included changes in intimacy and social/leisure activities. Findings suggest that couple-based interventions that emphasize the importance of managing physical and psychological symptoms through the regular practice of self-care routines may be beneficial for both patients and spouses. Likewise, programs that teach spouses ways to effectively motivate and encourage patients' self-care may help minimize conflict and help couples navigate HNC treatment and recovery together as a team.
a Department of Oncological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Hoda
H
Badr
a Department of Oncological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Krista
K
Herbert
c Department of Otolaryngology , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Batya
B
Reckson
a Department of Oncological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Hope
H
Rainey
a Department of Oncological Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Aminah
A
Sallam
b Department of Radiation Oncology , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.
Vishal
V
Gupta
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
caregiving; couples; head and neck cancer; qualitative interviews; spouses