Contextual and Cultural Influences on Caregivers of Hispanic Cancer Survivors.

OBJECTIVES: To discuss contextual factors (barriers to accessing health care, immigration issues, minority stress, low education/income, challenging employment environments) and cultural values (familism, espíritu, confianza, marianismo, machismo) of Hispanic caregivers that may influence the caregiving experience.

DATA SOURCES: Literature, research.

CONCLUSION: Hispanic caregivers, like non-Hispanic caregivers, experience poor health during caregiving and have unmet needs for information and emotional support. Few evidence-based supportive care interventions are currently available, and more should be developed and tested for this growing population of Hispanic caregivers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses should assess both contextual factors and cultural values as part of treatment planning for quality cancer care.