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Peer support in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): a qualitative study

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 57, pages 1277–1286 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Peer support, a distinctive form of social support in which patients share emotional, social, and practical help based on their own lived experience of illness and treatment, positively impacts patient-reported outcomes in cancer populations. However, data on peer support experiences among hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are limited. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews among 12 allogeneic HSCT recipients who were ≤6 months post transplant without any complications and 13 allogeneic HSCT recipients >6 months post transplant and living with chronic graft-versus-host disease. Interviews explored patients’ experiences with peer support and their preferences for a peer support intervention tailored to the needs of HSCT recipients. While the majority (70%) of participants reported no formal experience with peer support, most (83%) articulated themes of potential benefits of peer support (e.g., managing expectations and uncertainty that accompany HSCT). Most participants (60%) reported a preference for a peer support intervention prior to the HSCT hospitalization. Despite the limited data on peer support interventions among HSCT recipients and lack of formal peer support experience in most of our cohort, our study shows that HSCT recipients clearly acknowledge the potential benefits of a peer support intervention, and they prefer that it start prior to transplantation.

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Fig. 1: Consort diagram.

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Data that support findings in this manuscript cannot be shared for ethical reasons because it must remain protected due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act per our consent process.

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Acknowledgements

Time for data analysis and manuscript preparation was supported by the National Cancer Institute through grant K08CA251654 (to HLA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute through grant R01HL113272 (to JCH). AE-J is a scholar in clinical research for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Hermioni L. Amonoo & William F. Pirl

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Hermioni L. Amonoo, Emma C. Deary, Elizabeth P. Daskalakis, Rachael Rosales & Lauren Goldschen

  3. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Hermioni L. Amonoo, Lara Traeger, Corey Cutler, Amar H. Kelkar, Rachael Rosales, Lauren Goldschen, William F. Pirl, Emily H. Feig, Jeff C. Huffman & Areej El-Jawahri

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Lauren E. Harnedy, Lara Traeger, Emily H. Feig & Jeff C. Huffman

  5. Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Lara Traeger & Areej El-Jawahri

  6. Academic Research Collaborative in Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Lydia A. Brown

  7. Melbourne School of Psychological Services, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Lydia A. Brown

  8. Division of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Corey Cutler & Amar H. Kelkar

  9. Survey and Data Management Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Anna Revette

  10. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Stephanie J. Lee

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  1. Hermioni L. Amonoo
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All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data. All were involved in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content. All provided final approval of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Hermioni L. Amonoo.

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Amonoo, H.L., Harnedy, L.E., Deary, E.C. et al. Peer support in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): a qualitative study. Bone Marrow Transplant 57, 1277–1286 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-022-01711-9

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