[Psychosocial interventions for couples living with cancer. A literature review]

Couples experience cancer as a dyad. Step by step, they have to learn to integrate the illness into their lives. It can be assumed that psychosocial nursing interventions would offer them helpful support. Yet, there is no evidence showing which interventions are the most effective in supporting the couple in the illness management. This literature review was undertaken to explore this issue and was guided by following questions: 1) What kind of psychosocial intervention programmes exist for couples experiencing cancer? 2) Which instruments were used to measure the effectiveness of the interventions and what were the results? 3) What was the contribution of the interventions to an improved dyadic illness management process? Five articles were retrieved that met both the in- and exclusion criteria. The intervention programs varied regarding content and structures. The instruments used in the studies were very heterogeneous, making comparisons difficult. Even so, the results of the review found that psychosocial interventions decreased the levels of depression and hopelessness in both partners. The interventions also made it easier for the partners to advise and support each other in everyday situations. The conclusion was drawn that targeted information materials, structured information, and professional support represent effective psychosocial nursing interventions for couples living with cancer.