Abstract CN81
Background
Patients with cancer who competently self-manage their healthcare, reportedly experience better health-related outcomes and improved quality of life. However, evidence suggests that there are barriers and enablers to the psychological process of empowerment that can impact on the ability for each patient to reach their potential. It has been hypothesised that identifying and addressing these could facilitate patient empowerment and ultimately the financial and staffing constraints within the National Health Service. A systematic review was undertaken to investigate this phenomenon.
Methods
The ‘preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis' (PRISMA) was utilised for guidance and a comprehensive process of thematic analysis was undertaken. The final keywords used and verified by a librarian, included POWER or EMPOWERMENT, CANCER, PATIENT or PATIENTS, QUALITATIVE STUDY. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PSYCINFO databases were systematically searched for papers published between 2011-2021. All relevant papers were critiqued using the Critical Appraisal Skills tool (CASP).
Results
Eight qualitative research papers were selected for analysis, with varying cancer diagnoses, however no papers were identified that specifically targeted patients with lung cancer. There was consensus that feeling a sense of control, having a good patient-healthcare practitioner relationship and receiving adequate information and support were important influences in patients achieving mastery in their own healthcare. Staffing shortages and patient preferences to not engage were significant barriers to its success.
Conclusions
There are multitudinous psychological elements that impact on the process of achieving patient empowerment. A lung patient’s information and support needs, coping strategies, personality and sociodemographic profile should be considered through integrated multidisciplinary engagement at key points of their disease trajectory to determine and address potential barriers and enablers to empowerment. However, not all patients desire mastery in their own healthcare but opportunities for involvement in decisions about their care should be consistently forthcoming.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The author.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
The author has declared no conflicts of interest.