Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and distressing symptom experienced by teenage and young adult cancer patients (TYAs). This study aimed to explore clinicians' perspectives, practices and challenges in supporting TYAs with CRF.
METHOD: Ten clinicians from a TYA multidisciplinary team (MDT) participated in semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed.
RESULTS: Clinicians perceived CRF as a common, but individual experience for TYAs and framed the broad impact of CRF in the context of TYAs' development. Clinicians' assessment and management of CRF for TYAs varied. Clinicians described a range of challenges affecting their practice in supporting TYAs with CRF, including limited knowledge, difficulties engaging TYAs, inadequate time in consultations and a lack of age-appropriate resources.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite clinicians' good insight into TYAs' unique experiences of CRF, the assessment and management of CRF for TYAs are complicated by numerous challenges. The development of evidence-based interventions and guidelines, clear pathways of care, and TYA-friendly resources, measures and programmes, is vital to support clinicians, and TYAs, in managing CRF.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e13337 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | European Journal of Cancer Care |
| Early online date | 4 Oct 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 4 Oct 2020 |
Keywords
- cancer
- clinical practice
- fatigue
- healthcare professionals
- teenagers
- young adults