An Integrative Review of Self-Management Interventions for Treatment Sequelae in Adult Survivors

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Self-management interventions support cancer survivors in addressing the consequences of treatment. With post-treatment survivors living longer, it is critical to know how research responds to their changing needs. LITERATURE SEARCH: A comprehensive search of the CINAHL (R) PsycINFO (R), and PubMed (R) databases was performed. Articles were included if the self-management intervention was conducted on cancer-free adult survivors after completing primary treatment. DATA EVALUATION: Each study was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. SYNTHESIS: 38 articles were included. The majority of the interventions were designed for short-term survivors, with limited interventions found to support the self-management of long-term cancer survivors. When implementing self-management support, there is a need to use theoretical frameworks that can respond to the changing needs of cancer survivors over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Future research should provide support for long-term survivors. Oncology nurses can use the results of this review to identify gaps in the self-management education provided to cancer survivors.