Abstract
Informal carers provide an important role in supporting people with cancer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience higher cancer mortality than other Australians. To date, very little is known about the support needs of carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with cancer. This article explored these needs through a qualitative study. Twenty-two semi-structured qualitative interviews and one focus group were conducted with carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with cancer (n = 12) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer survivors (n = 15) from Queensland, Australia. Half of the carers interviewed were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australians. Interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed following an interpretive phenomenological approach. Thematic analysis of carer and survivor interviews revealed four key themes relating to carers’ needs: managing multiple responsibilities; maintaining the carer’s own health and wellbeing; accessing practical support and information; and engaging with the health system. Within these overarching themes, multiple needs were identified including specific needs relevant for carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, such as advocating for the patient; accessing Indigenous support services and health workers; and ensuring that the cultural needs of the person are recognised and respected. Identifying the needs of informal carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients will enable greater understanding of the support that carers require and inform the development of strategies to meet these areas of need.
Highlights
Similar to previous studies with carers of non-Indigenous cancer survivors, we found that carers are required to fulfil their role of carer alongside many other responsibilities in their life, such as work or study commitments and caring for other family members [17,31,32]
This study found the type of needs and support required by carers is influenced by the diverse cultural beliefs, practices and values identified by Indigenous cancer survivors [36]
This paper addresses an important gap in our knowledge of the needs of carers of Indigenous cancer survivors in Australia
Summary
People with cancer often receive significant support from family members or friends who take on a role as an informal carer. Informal carers often juggle multiple responsibilities while caring for the person with cancer, including household and work duties, caring for other family members, adjusting to changing role expectations and managing their own health and wellbeing [1,2,3]. While carers play a significant role in caring for people with cancer, the focus within the healthcare setting largely remains on the patient’s experiences [4].
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