Introduction: The broad implications of cancer morbidity and patient survival include the
psychosocial impact of the disease, including the emotional consequences, supportive care
needs, and quality of life of cancer patients and their families. Previous integrative literature
reviews and meta-analyses have produced conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of
psychosocial interventions for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Purpose: The
purpose of the thesis was to find out what kind of psychological support a patient receives
during chemotherapy. Work methods: To achieve the aim of the thesis, we used a
descriptive method with a systematic review of the literature, focused on 14 studies with a
definitive review, to examine the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in cancer
patients receiving chemotherapy. The literature review was carried out from November 2022
to January 2023. We narrowed down the results with the restriction criteria: period 2013-
2023, text language English and Slovenian, free availability of suitable articles based on
reviewed full-text extracts and peer-reviewed papers. Results: All 14 studies involved
cancer patients and all fourteen studies produced positive results. We analyzed nine
qualitative studies, two quantitative and three mixed methods. Overall, the quality of the
studies was limited. In three studies, psychological care was not adequately described, one
study did not include a hypothesis and two did not include clear eligibility criteria. The
results of the quantitative analysis showed that the psychological care of patients while
receiving chemotherapy is effective, associated with a lower level of distress, depression and
anxiety. Qualitative findings have shown that adequate psychological care can reduce the
risk of depression in cancer patients, while not receiving it leads to anxiety and other forms
of psychological problems while receiving chemotherapy. Evidence from quantitative and
qualitative studies complemented each other. Discussion and conclusion: Future studies
should build on previous findings, use comparable outcomes, and adhere to quality research
standards. Qualitative studies are needed to determine what cancer patients of different ages,
cancer stages, and racial/ethnic backgrounds believe would be an effective intervention to
manage their psychosocial needs while receiving chemotherapy.
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