Exploring the psychosocial impact and support needs of men with breast cancer from the perspectives of patients, informal carers and healthcare professionals

Herring, Beth

Abstract

Although rare, the prevalence of Breast Cancer in Men (BCiM) is increasing worldwide. It is commonly perceived as a female disease, despite being responsible for proportionally more deaths annually than some male-specific cancers such as testicular cancer. There is often a lack of awareness of BCiM and the role their Informal Carers (ICs) play in supporting men with the disease. Little research has explored the psychosocial impact of BCiM on patients and their ICs. This PhD aimed to address this gap by conducting three complementary studies to gain a holistic understanding of the impact of the disease from multiple perspectives.

Study 1 was an exploratory online mixed methods study conducted with 87 men in nine countries worldwide who had received a diagnosis for breast cancer. The study explored their experiences, body image concerns, quality of life and masculine self-esteem. The results guided study 2 which interviewed 12 ICs of men with breast cancer in the United Kingdom (UK) and explored their experiences and psychosocial support needs. Together, the results emphasised the lack of awareness of BCiM among both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the general public, inappropriate provision of support materials, lack of social and emotional support and an overwhelming sense of isolation for both men with breast cancer and their ICs. Study 3 was an online survey with 62 UK-based HCPs with experience of working with patients with breast cancer. The study explored their experiences and perceptions of the support needs of men with breast cancer and their ICs. The results highlighted that they provide a variety of resources and support to these groups, although most feel these are unsuitable for this population.

This body of work explored previously unresearched areas and the results make a novel contribution to the literature. The use of different methods and the involvement of patients, ICs and HCPs provide an increased understanding of the wider context in which BCiM occurs. Collectively, the studies highlight the negative psychosocial impact of BCiM and a lack of appropriate support, which is often challenging and isolating for both men with breast cancer and their ICs. The findings from patients, ICs and HCPs indicate the current available sources of support for this population to be overwhelmingly unsatisfactory, inappropriate and insufficient. There is a vital need to raise awareness of BCiM, to include more men in breast cancer research and an urgent requirement for the provision of support specifically tailored to men with breast cancer and their ICs. Finally, the work identified important areas of future research and recommendations needed to improve the current provision of support and information for all men with breast cancer and their ICs. These include professional education and training of HCPs on the information and resources available and a proposed stepped care approach to the provision of evidence-based psychosocial support for men with breast cancer and their ICs.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: May 8, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 21, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10761982
• Award Date: Aug 21, 2023