Cancer across the ages: a narrative review of caregiver burden for patients of all ages

Abstract

Problem Identification

Approximately 2.8 million Americans care for an individual with cancer. Because the literature typically describes caregiving experiences within patient age-groups (e.g., pediatrics, geriatrics), the purpose of this narrative review was to describe common and unique burdens and distress among caregivers of cancer-patients of different ages.

Literature Search

We identified representative peer-reviewed manuscripts related to caregivers of pediatric, adolescent, young-, middle-, and late-adult oncology patients. We combined search terms “caregiver” and “cancer” with “burden,” “distress,” and/or age-related terms (“pediatric” or “geriatric”). Included studies focused on factors of caregiver-burden and distress.

Data Evaluation/Synthesis

Universal cancer-caregiving experiences include negative impacts on work-productivity, finances, social-/family-dynamics, and physical/emotional health. Age-related life experiences shape outcomes; pediatric caregivers may have fewer financial resources, whereas concurrent comorbidities create challenges for geriatric caregivers.

Conclusions

Caregiving for cancer patients has universal, shared, and patient age-specific burdens.

Implications for Practice

Supportive care based on patient-age may improve caregiver well-being.

Keywords:

• cancer
• caregiver
• geriatric
• pediatric
• psychosocial outcome
• quality of life

Disclosure statement

None of the authors has a financial or other conflict of interest to disclose.