Evaluating the Childcare Needs of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Abstract

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> About one-fifth of newly diagnosed cancer patients are parents to young children. These patients are at higher risk of psychosocial stress and inability to attend treatment due to having to balance their own healthcare needs with those of their children. Hospital-based childcare services could potentially ameliorate this problem by temporarily relieving parents of their childcare duties during their healthcare appointments. The objective of this study is to characterize the childcare needs of cancer parents undergoing radiation therapy. The results could help inform the implementation of suitable childcare programs to remove this barrier in accessing care. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> Patients at a large Canadian comprehensive cancer treatment center were screened by a radiation oncologist for having children under the age of 18 at home. After these patients were identified and consent was obtained, secure electronic surveys were distributed. Domains surveyed included patient demographics, childcare burden, impact on treatment, and preference for how they could be supported to access care. <h3>Results</h3> 45 surveys were completed. The average age of correspondents was 44.5 (95% confidence interval: 43.0 – 46.1), 41 patients (91%) were female, 12 (27%) were employed full-time, and breast cancer was the most common primary tumor site, with 29 correspondents (64%) carrying the diagnosis. The median number of children per correspondent was two, and the median age of their children was nine. 18 correspondents (40%) reported not having reliable social supports who could assist with childcare. 29 correspondents (64%) reported it would be "extremely helpful" or "very helpful" for them to receive hospital-based childcare during their initial consultation, follow-up appointments, or radiotherapy sessions. Correspondents with an annual household income of less than $50,000 (Canadian Dollars) were more likely to report having to reschedule (P = 0.05) or miss appointments (P = 0.01) due to childcare conflicts. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Childcare is a significant psychosocial barrier for patients accessing radiation therapy for cancer. Our results indicate that most parents undergoing treatment may benefit from hospital-based childcare services, which is especially true for lower-middle income families. The implementation of a flexible childcare service would help patients with treatment compliance and reduce the socioeconomic barrier for accessing care.