Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40814821›Full record

ArticlePalliative & supportive care2025

Delivering psychosocial support to family caregivers of cancer patients: Insights from Iranian psychosocial oncology professionals and family caregivers highlighting the need for change.

Baharan Ghavami, Fariba Zarani, Ladan Fata, Mohammad Reza Sharbafchi, Jacqueline Bender

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative & supportive care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Baharan GhavamiDepartment of Psychology and Educational Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6063-246X
Fariba ZaraniDepartment of Psychology and Educational Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Ladan FataEducation Development Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza SharbafchiDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Iranian Cancer Control Center (Macsa), Isfahan, Iran.
Jacqueline BenderDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesSupporting a family member with cancer poses significant challenges for family caregivers, who have unmet supportive care needs. Psychosocial oncology professionals (PSOP) are often the primary source of support for cancer caregivers in Iran. Given the lack of supportive care resources, innovative strategies are needed to support caregivers. This study explores the views of PSOP and caregivers regarding the challenges, potential solutions, and the role of digital technologies in supporting caregivers.

methodsEmploying a qualitative descriptive design, we conducted individual interviews and focus groups with 30 participants (15 PSOPs and 15 caregivers), recruited from five settings in Tehran, Iran(2023-2024). All sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

resultsPSOP identified challenges in delivering psychosocial care to caregivers , including inconsistency, uncertainty, and fragmented use of technology. Their recommendations included flexible psychosocial care via blended multi-modal digital technologies, professional development opportunities, and formal recognition and integration within the oncology setting. Caregivers experiencing frustration with the healthcare system expressed a need for family-centered care, flexible psychosocial care, and organized peer support networks. SIGNIFICANCE OF

resultsCurrent psychosocial care in Iran is insufficient and misaligned with the preferences of PSOP and caregivers. PSOP and caregivers advocate for flexible psychosocial care through blended digital strategies. Public health strategists in Iran, as a low-resource setting with a family-centered context, should optimize resource utilization by prioritizing the training of PSOP, developing blended digital interventions, and leveraging trained peers to provide navigation and support to families, thereby easing the PSOP workload.

Indexed as

CaregiversFamilyHealth PersonnelNeoplasmsSocial SupportAdultAgedFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInterviews as TopicIranMaleMedical OncologyMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchCancerdigital healthfamily caregiversoncologypsycho-oncologypsychosocial oncologypsychosocial support

Identifiers

PMID40814821
PMCPMC13166713

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.