A family-based program of care for women with recurrent breast cancer and their family members.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To evaluate the FOCUS Program (family involvement, optimistic attitude, coping effectiveness, uncertainty reduction, and symptom management), a family-based program of care for women with recurrent breast cancer and their family caregivers. DATA SOURCES Randomized clinical trial. SETTING Midwest region of the United States. DATA SYNTHESIS The family-based program of care consisted of five components: family involvement, optimistic attitude, coping effectiveness, uncertainty reduction, and symptom management. The program was delivered in three home visits and two follow-up phone calls over a five-month period of time. CONCLUSIONS Patients with recurrent breast cancer and their family members reported high satisfaction with the FOCUS Program. Although the FOCUS Program had a number of strengths, limitations of the program also were identified that need to be addressed in future family-based interventions. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING A need exists for family-based programs of care that enable both patients and their family members to manage the multiple demands associated with recurrent breast cancer.