The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Informal Caregivers of Rural Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study

Informal caregivers (family members and/or friends) of rural adult cancer patients face significant challenges in meeting the patients’ needs, navigating the healthcare system, and accessing support services.The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing caregiving challenges and introduced unforeseen challenges. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 informal caregivers of rural adult cancer patients to understand how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The resultant themes were related to caregivers' interactions with the healthcare system, mitigating the patient's risk of contracting COVID-19, and social support and coping during the pandemic. Informal caregivers' experiences and needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and in general are a matter of national public health importance that must be reinforced through policies, research, and interventions.Bachelor of Science in Public Healt