How do people living with dementia make decisions about their cancer care?: A meta-ethnographic systematic review
Year: 2025
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Living with comorbid dementia and cancer is linked with communication and decision-making challenges across the cancer care pathway and poor health outcomes. This meta-ethnographic review aimed to explore the experiences of people living with comorbid dementia and cancer (PLWCDC) when making decisions about their cancer care. METHOD: Six databases were searched using terms pertaining to dementia, cancer, decision-making and qualitative experiences. Studies that qualitatively explored cancer care decision-making experiences from the perspective of people living with comorbid dementia and cancer were included. RESULTS: Searches yielded 3424 unique records, with ten articles meeting eligibility criteria. After quality assessment, collated data was synthesised using a reciprocal synthesis. This produced four higher-order themes: 'challenges of processing cancer-related information', 'issues of inaccessible information and uninformed consent', 'the role of relatives', and 'the importance of individualised and consistent care', drawn together by a core concept of delivering and receiving person-centred cancer care in an inflexible healthcare system. CONCLUSION: Decision-making experiences were complex and multi-layered. Dementia negatively influenced understanding and retention of information. Poor consistency in staffing and complexity of information provided were overwhelming. PLWCDC were not always meaningfully involved in their cancer-care decisions. Individualised, consistent care is required to improve outcomes for this population.
Source: Aging & Mental Health
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4417156197