The weight of time: experience of time toxicity among advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers-a qualitative study.

IF 3 3区医学 Q2 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Supportive Care in Cancer Pub Date : 2025-09-18 DOI:10.1007/s00520-025-09904-w

Jie Jing, Mohan Li, Yehao Rui, Danruo Wang, Qiuchen Zhu, Ling Yuan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Substantial time investments are required from patients and caregivers due to cancer management and treatment demands. These cumulative time burdens can lead to the disruption of daily life order, aggravation of psychological distress, and economic burden. However, time toxicity is often overlooked in the current healthcare environment. Therefore, this study examined perceptions of time toxicity from advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers.

Methods: A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted among 12 advanced cancer patients and 6 family caregivers at oncology departments in tertiary hospitals and a community hospital. The interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis. The reporting of this qualitative research conformed to the COREQ consolidated criteria.

Results: The findings of this study have revealed four key themes: (1) The experience of time toxicity stems from multi-dimensional contributing factors; (2) time toxicity has multiple negative impacts on patients and caregivers; (3) strategies for coping with time toxicity in cancer patients and caregivers; (4) clinical needs and expectations of cancer patients and caregivers regarding time burden.

Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should receive training to identify time toxicity manifestations and their cascading effects on patient distress; systematic time burden assessments must be initiated at cancer diagnosis, coupled with implementation of time-saving care pathways and continuous evaluation of temporal resource adequacy.

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时间的权重：晚期癌症患者及其家庭照顾者的时间毒性体验-一项定性研究。

背景：由于癌症的管理和治疗需求，患者和护理人员需要投入大量的时间。这些累积的时间负担会导致日常生活秩序的混乱、心理困扰的加剧和经济负担。然而，在当前的医疗环境中，时间毒性经常被忽视。因此，本研究考察了晚期癌症患者及其家庭照顾者对时间毒性的看法。方法：采用半结构化访谈的定性研究方法，对某三级医院肿瘤科和某社区医院的12名晚期肿瘤患者和6名家庭护理人员进行调查。访谈采用主题分析法进行分析。本定性研究报告符合COREQ综合标准。结果：本研究揭示了四个关键主题：(1)时间毒性体验的成因是多方面的；(2)时间毒性对患者和护理人员具有多重负面影响；(3)癌症患者及其照顾者应对时间毒性的策略；(4)癌症患者和护理人员对时间负担的临床需求和期望。结论：卫生保健专业人员应接受培训，以识别时间毒性表现及其对患者痛苦的级联效应；必须在癌症诊断时启动系统的时间负担评估，同时实施节省时间的护理途径，并持续评估时间资源是否充足。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Supportive Care in Cancer 医学-康复医学

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

9.70%

发文量

751

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Supportive Care in Cancer provides members of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and all other interested individuals, groups and institutions with the most recent scientific and social information on all aspects of supportive care in cancer patients. It covers primarily medical, technical and surgical topics concerning supportive therapy and care which may supplement or substitute basic cancer treatment at all stages of the disease. Nursing, rehabilitative, psychosocial and spiritual issues of support are also included.