A Family-Based Program of Care for Women With Recurrent Breast Cancer and Their Family Members

Laurel Northouse

Julie Walker

Ann Schafenacker

Darlene W. Mood

Suzanne Mellon

Elizabeth Galvin

Janet Harden

Laurie Freeman-Gibb

ONF 2002, 29(10), 1411-1419. DOI: 10.1188/02.ONF.1411-1419

Purpose/Objectives: To evaluate the FOCUS Program (family involvement, optimistic attitude, coping effectiveness, uncertainty reduction, and symptom management), a family-based program of care for women with recurrent breast cancer and their family caregivers.

Data Sources: Randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Midwest region of the United States.

Data Synthesis: The family-based program of care consisted of five components: family involvement, optimistic attitude, coping effectiveness, uncertainty reduction, and symptom management. The program was delivered in three home visits and two follow-up phone calls over a five-month period of time.

Conclusions: Patients with recurrent breast cancer and their family members reported high satisfaction with the FOCUS Program. Although the FOCUS Program had a number of strengths, limitations of the program also were identified that need to be addressed in future family-based interventions.

Implications for Nursing: A need exists for family-based programs of care that enable both patients and their family members to manage the multiple demands associated with recurrent breast cancer.

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