Peer Supporters' Experience of Supporting Cancer Patients: A Meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: With the widespread use of peer support in the cancer field, more and more cancer survivors are becoming supporters. However, they may bear a huge psychological burden in the peer support project. There has been little effort to analyze supporters' experiences from a meta-perspective. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to review the literature on the experience of patients serving as peer supporters, integrate qualitative data to explore the experiences of supporters participating in peer support programs, and provide suggestions for future researchers. INTERVENTIONS/METHODS: China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened. Included articles (n = 10) underwent data extraction, the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative researches (2016) quality evaluation, and thematic synthesis. RESULTS: The literature ultimately included 10 studies from which 29 themes were distilled and grouped into 2 main categories: benefits and challenges of peer support for supporters. CONCLUSIONS: Peer supporters will not only gain social support, growth, and recovery but also experience various challenges when providing peer support. Both supporters' and patients' experiences of participating in peer support programs deserve the attention of researchers. Researchers need to be rigorous in controlling the implementation of peer support programs to help supporters gain and overcome challenges. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Future researchers can use study findings to better develop peer support programs. More peer support projects are needed to explore a standardized peer support training guide.

Colorectal cancer survivors' experiences of return-to-work: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

INTRODUCTION: This review is to explore the relevant experience of colorectal cancer survivors' return-to-work, reintegrating and analyzing the promoting factors and obstacles of colorectal cancer survivors' return-to-work. METHODS: This review followed PRISMA List. Databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, EM base, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, Wangfang Database, CNKI and CBM from inception to October 2022 were searched to collect qualitative studies in the experience of colorectal cancer survivors' return-to-work. Article selection and data extraction were conducted by two researchers used the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative researches (2016) in Australia. RESULTS: Seven studies were included, the thirty-four themes distilled from the literature were grouped into eleven new categories and summed into two integrated findings: (1) facilitators to return-to-work for colorectal cancer survivors: desire and expectation for return-to-work and social dedication, economic needs, support and tolerance from employers and colleagues, work suggestions provided by professionals, health insurance policy of the workplace. (2) obstacles to return-to-work for colorectal cancer survivors: physical problems, psychological barriers, lack of family support, negative attitudes of employers and colleagues, limited information and resources available from professionals, Imperfection of related policies. CONCLUSION: This study shows that colorectal cancer survivors' return-to-work is influenced by many factors. We should pay attention to and avoid obstacles, help colorectal cancer survivors recover their physical functions and maintain a positive psychological state, improve the social support for colorectal cancer survivors to return-to-work, so as to achieve comprehensive rehabilitation as soon as possible.