Amulya Marellapudi1, Adrian R King2, Robert A Bednarczyk3. 1. College of Arts & Sciences, Emory University, United States. 2. Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, United States; Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, United States. 3. Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, United States; Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, United States; Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, United States. Electronic address: rbednar@emory.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Household-based caregivers serve an important role in protecting the health of cancer patients, who may be vulnerable to infectious diseases due to their cancer treatments. Caregiver preventive care should be prioritized to maintain continuity of care and to reduce potential for transmission of infectious diseases to cancer patients. Uptake of vaccines, such as influenza vaccine, is suboptimal in the United States in general, as well as among caregivers for cancer patients. Little is known about the types of information about vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases (e.g. influenza) presented to caregivers of cancer patients. METHODS: A qualitative content review of NCI cancer center websites (N = 70), searching for vaccine-related information and the need for and availability of vaccines for caregivers, and comparison of the availability of this information to that for caregiver support groups and general preventative health information (e.g. diet, exercise) for caregivers or patients was conducted. RESULTS: While 53 of 70 (76%) cancer centers routinely presented general preventative health information for caregivers or patients, only eight (11%) cancer centers had any information about vaccinations for caregivers or patients. Of these eight cancer center websites, only one had information about vaccinations for caregivers or family contacts. CONCLUSIONS: As vaccinations confer both individual and community-level protection against infectious diseases, promotion of routine vaccination for caregivers should be considered as part of caregiver support resources provided by cancer centers. This can include changes such as including this information on cancer center websites or adding to caregiver support resource documents.
BACKGROUND: Household-based caregivers serve an important role in protecting the health of cancerpatients, who may be vulnerable to infectious diseases due to their cancer treatments. Caregiver preventive care should be prioritized to maintain continuity of care and to reduce potential for transmission of infectious diseases to cancerpatients. Uptake of vaccines, such as influenza vaccine, is suboptimal in the United States in general, as well as among caregivers for cancerpatients. Little is known about the types of information about vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases (e.g. influenza) presented to caregivers of cancerpatients. METHODS: A qualitative content review of NCI cancer center websites (N = 70), searching for vaccine-related information and the need for and availability of vaccines for caregivers, and comparison of the availability of this information to that for caregiver support groups and general preventative health information (e.g. diet, exercise) for caregivers or patients was conducted. RESULTS: While 53 of 70 (76%) cancer centers routinely presented general preventative health information for caregivers or patients, only eight (11%) cancer centers had any information about vaccinations for caregivers or patients. Of these eight cancer center websites, only one had information about vaccinations for caregivers or family contacts. CONCLUSIONS: As vaccinations confer both individual and community-level protection against infectious diseases, promotion of routine vaccination for caregivers should be considered as part of caregiver support resources provided by cancer centers. This can include changes such as including this information on cancer center websites or adding to caregiver support resource documents.
Authors: Andres Chang; Mallory K Ellingson; Christopher R Flowers; Robert A Bednarczyk Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2021-04-20 Impact factor: 3.835