The purpose of this project was to synthesise research on informal carers in the cancer context in sub–Saharan Africa in terms of their roles, experiences, barriers, opportunities, and any avenues through which informal care is integrated into formal palliative care services.
Africa is disproportionately affected by a global increase in cancer burden, with annual cancer cases modelled to increase from 1,108,301 cases in 2020 to 2 082 732 cases in 2040 (Ferlay et al., 2021). Unfortunately, up to 80% of these diagnoses are made at a very advanced disease stage (Harding et al., 2013), highlighting the need for strong palliative care services.
A combination of late diagnoses and high mortality rates puts pressure on already limited palliative care services and increases the need for informal care. As a result, it is important to understand the experiences of informal caregivers to better support them, but also incorporate them as essential in models of palliative care.
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