Author of

• 11001

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  P1.24 - Poster Session 1 - Clinical Care (ID 146)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Supportive Care
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/28/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 11013

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    P1.24-012 - How to Build a Better Lung Cancer Support Group: Best practices from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (ID 1019)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): L. Dornan
    • Abstract

    Background
    Research shows that people diagnosed with lung cancer experience high levels of distress and that their unmet physical and emotional needs are greater than those diagnosed with other types of cancer. One significant unmet need for lung cancer patients is social support. An important way for patients to connect and to know they are not alone is through face-to-face support groups. The benefits to cancer patients attending such groups go beyond support and may include increased feelings of control and confidence and a decrease in depression and distress. For many reasons, the majority of lung cancer patients prefer lung cancer-specific support groups rather than those for all cancers. However, facilitators report that starting and maintaining lung cancer groups is often a challenge. As a result, the number of such groups is insufficient to meet the need. Cancer charities play an important role in fostering lung cancer support groups by directly running groups or supporting those who do. Toward the goal of increasing the number and viability of these groups, a study was conducted to understand the challenges related to starting and sustaining lung cancer support groups and the solutions successful facilitators have found to overcome those challenges.

    Methods
    To understand the challenges of lung cancer specific support groups and how to overcome them, a literature review of research about cancer support groups was conducted. Lung cancer support group faclitators in Australia, the United Kingdom and Australia were surveyed and in-depth interviews were conducted on a sample. Program evaluation data from 37 groups in the UK was also included.

    Results
    An international guide to lung cancer support groups best practices was developed. The guide provides solutions suitable for all facilitator skill levels and addresses resource constraints that facilitators may face. The solutions presented are designed to assist anyone interested in running a successful lung cancer support group anywhere in the world. A second phase of the research will involve formative research to determine desirability and feasibility of adopting best practices in a sample of control groups in the United States that were not involved in the initial survey and interviews. Those results will be presented at future conferences.

    Conclusion
    People with lung cancer can benefit from in-person support groups in immeasurable ways but many do not have access due to the lack of available groups. While challenges to initiating and maintaining successful lung cancer specific support groups exist, expert facilitators have found creative ways to advertise their groups, keep participants engaged and their groups thriving. With the information provided, professionals at charities and treatment facilities interested in starting lung cancer support groups will know what to consider as they organize their groups and will have at the ready tried and true techniques for making their groups successful. Charities not able to run their own groups will learn the importance of disseminating this information to facilitators as well as understand how to best support them to reach the goal of increasing the number of lung cancer-specific support groups.