BACKGROUND: Active social and spiritual support for persons with cancer and other serious illnesses has been shown to improve psychological adjustment to illness and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a community-based support team intervention within the African American community using stakeholder interviews. METHODS: Support team members were recruited from African American churches, community organizations, and the social network of individuals with serious illness. Support teams provided practical, emotional, and spiritual care for persons with cancer and other serious illness. The intervention was evaluated using semistructured interviews with 47 stakeholders including those with serious illness, support team volunteers, clergy, and medical providers. RESULTS: Stakeholders report multiple benefits to participation in the support team; themes included provision of emotional and spiritual support, extension of support to patients' family, and support complementary to medical care. Reported barriers to participation were grouped thematically as desiring to maintain a sense of independence and normalcy; limitations of volunteers were also discussed as a barrier to this model of supportive care. CONCLUSIONS: This qualitative evaluation provides initial evidence that a support team intervention helped meet the emotional and spiritual needs of African American persons with cancer or other serious illness. Volunteer support teams merit further study as a way to improve quality of life for persons facing serious illness.
BACKGROUND: Active social and spiritual support for persons with cancer and other serious illnesses has been shown to improve psychological adjustment to illness and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a community-based support team intervention within the African American community using stakeholder interviews. METHODS: Support team members were recruited from African American churches, community organizations, and the social network of individuals with serious illness. Support teams provided practical, emotional, and spiritual care for persons with cancer and other serious illness. The intervention was evaluated using semistructured interviews with 47 stakeholders including those with serious illness, support team volunteers, clergy, and medical providers. RESULTS: Stakeholders report multiple benefits to participation in the support team; themes included provision of emotional and spiritual support, extension of support to patients' family, and support complementary to medical care. Reported barriers to participation were grouped thematically as desiring to maintain a sense of independence and normalcy; limitations of volunteers were also discussed as a barrier to this model of supportive care. CONCLUSIONS: This qualitative evaluation provides initial evidence that a support team intervention helped meet the emotional and spiritual needs of African American persons with cancer or other serious illness. Volunteer support teams merit further study as a way to improve quality of life for persons facing serious illness.
Authors: David R Buys; Malcolm L Marler; Caroline O Robinson; Christopher M Hamlin; Julie L Locher Journal: Public Health Nutr Date: 2010-10-19 Impact factor: 4.022
Authors: Tracy A Balboni; Lauren C Vanderwerker; Susan D Block; M Elizabeth Paulk; Christopher S Lathan; John R Peteet; Holly G Prigerson Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2007-02-10 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Laura C Hanson; Tonya D Armstrong; Melissa A Green; Michelle Hayes; Stacie Peacock; Sharon Elliot-Bynum; Moses V Goldmon; Giselle Corbie-Smith; Jo Anne Earp Journal: Health Educ Behav Date: 2012-10-16