Background and Purpose
Family caregivers supporting individuals with advanced cancer provide essential care, often while experiencing significant distress themselves. Limited Language Proficiency (LLP) in patients with advanced cancer negatively impacts access to and quality of care and is associated with increased dependency on family caregivers. This focus group study aims to explore the unique challenges faced by family caregivers of advanced cancer patients with LLP and to identify strategies to improve support for both patients and caregivers.
Sample, Setting and Procedure
This ongoing study includes focus groups and one-on-one semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and LLP, recruited from a large urban cancer centre in Toronto, Canada. One focus group will also be held with members of the centre’s Interpretation Services. Focus groups and interviews explore participants’ experiences with navigating the healthcare system, understanding medical information, working with interpreters, managing cultural differences, accessing support and resources, and suggestions for improvement. Transcripts are being analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
To date, we have completed interviews with three family caregivers, with the first focus group scheduled for June 2025. Emerging themes include unique strain on the patient–caregiver relationship, challenges in navigating the healthcare system, and heightened anxiety in the context of the patient’s LLP.
Conclusion and Clinical Implications
Findings will inform the development of interventions and improvements to language- and culture-based policies and programs aimed at better supporting diverse cancer patient populations and their family caregivers.