Patient education for older adults with cancer and their caregivers: A scoping review.

Abstract

Introduction: Patient education is essential for older adults with cancer and their caregivers to support understanding of diagnosis and treatment. However, the evidence describing patient education interventions has not been comprehensively mapped. Our objective was to characterize the features, delivery approaches, and outcomes of patient education interventions developed for older adults with cancer and/or their caregivers across any study design, and to identify gaps in the evidence.

Materials and methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guideline. MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched on January 23, 2025. Studies published from 2000 onward were included if they evaluated healthcare professional-delivered patient education.

Results: From 26,898 records screened, 93 studies met inclusion criteria. Most interventions were delivered pre-treatment (n = 63), with surgery the most common context (n = 31). Common aims included side-effect prevention (n = 32) and supporting treatment decision-making (n = 26). Caregiver involvement was limited. Outcomes were clustered into 20 domains. Frequent reported domains were satisfaction/acceptability (52 occurrences) and knowledge/understanding (46 occurrences), while caregiver outcomes and clinical endpoints were rarely assessed.

Discussion: Patient education interventions generally improved knowledge and satisfaction, but evidence for clinical or system-level impacts remains limited. Key gaps include minimal integration of geriatric assessment, limited adaptation for cognitive impairment, sparse caregiver-specific outcomes, and inconsistent reporting of unintended effects. Future research should better integrate caregiver needs and geriatric principles into patient education design.