Article
Comparison of Outcome Measures for Traditional and Online Support Groups for Breast Cancer Patients: An Integrative Literature Review
Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology
(2017)
Abstract
Despite widespread use of support groups in the breast cancer patient
population, there are heterogeneous outcome measurements and
inconsistencies in their perceived benefits. The purpose of this integrative
literature review is to compare the efficacies of traditional and
online support groups for breast cancer survivors through analysis of
outcome measurements and determination of strengths and weaknesses.
After examining the literature, it was found that online support
groups are ideal for women who require additional support or who are
unable to attend a traditional group. Alternatively, traditional support
groups allow for discussion and support tailored to specific cultures
and are especially beneficial when a breast cancer survivor is included
in the process. These findings suggest that because both traditional
and online support groups have unique roles in the psychosocial
support of female breast cancer survivors, individual preferences and
needs should be considered when determining which support groups
will be beneficial.
Keywords
- support groups,
- online support groups,
- breast cancer,
- supportive care
Disciplines
Publication Date
Spring May 1, 2017
Citation Information
Mary Clare Houlihan and Joseph D Tariman. "Comparison of Outcome Measures for Traditional and Online Support Groups for Breast Cancer Patients: An Integrative Literature Review" Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology Vol. 8 (2017) p. 348 - 359 ISSN: 2150-0878 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jdtariman/33/
Creative Commons license
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC_BY-NC-ND International License.