Social support to the family of the cancer patient: identifying ways and directions

Abstract

Network and social support are resources that nursing can offer to families. This review identifies which aspects of social support are being investigated for the family of the cancer patient. Fifty one articles were found of which 70% were quantitative research and 26% were published in the last two years. The issues addressed were: Family caregivers as provider of social support; Factors that interfere with social support; Religiosity as social support as well as support coming from educative programs, group activity and technological resources. Of these papers, 49% were written by nurses, with international emphasis on needs assessment, family experiences and support offered, while national articles emphasize definition concepts and identifying family needs focusing on intervention planning.