Traditional support groups for women with breast cancer: A review of the literature

Abstract

Background and objective: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and it is by far the most common cancer of women in Qatar. Nurses can play an important role in developing and implementing support groups for women with breast cancer. The main objective of this literature review was to identify the context of information to develop a support group to meet the needs of women with breast cancer in Qatar.Methods: The following databases were searched: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 studies were retained for this review.  Results: The synthesis and integration of the literature revealed that traditional support groups can impact women with breast cancer across the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social domains. Various outcomes such as fatigue and anxiety were measured and several different types of interventions were used such as education, relaxation, and goal setting. Overall, the interventions had a positive impact on some of the outcomes.Conclusions: This review highlights the need to develop and implement a support group program for women with breast cancer in Qatar.