Aims: To review the characteristics and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on quality of life of adult people with cancer and their family caregivers.Design: A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines.Methods: Seven databases were searched from 2009–2019 using key terms. Included studies were assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies.Results: 1909 studies were retrieved with 12 studies included, involving 3,390 patients/caregivers. Interventions aimed to improve communication, behaviour change and setting short‐term goals. Duration of interventions varied from 4–17 weeks. Highest benefit was gained from telephone interventions. Interventions based on interpersonal counselling appeared more effective than other approaches. Studies predominantly focused on psychological, physical and social domains of quality of life. Spiritual well‐being received relatively little attention. A paradigm shift is needed to develop psychosocial interventions that incorporate spiritual well‐being. More research is needed in developing countries.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer, and the leading cause of cancer death among women globally [1].

The aim of the study is to evaluate the theoretical knowledge and psychomotor skill acquisition of basic life support (BLS) by a group of secondary school students in Nigeria pre and post BLS training. This was quasi-experimental study design with 210 participants. They were taught on adult BLS and all the participants practiced BLS on a Resusci-Anne manikin immediately after the training. Data were collected using American Heart Association (AHA) structured questionnaire and psychomotor skills checklist for BLS at baseline, and post BLS training. The pre-training knowledge score was 1.9±1.4. This increased after the BLS training to 11.4±2.4, and the mean difference between the pre and post BLS training scores was 9.48571. Pre-training psychomotor skill score was 0.00±0.00, this increased to 8.9±1.9 after the training, and the mean difference was 8.90000. The knowledge and psychomotor skill difference between pre and post BLS training was significant (P<0.000).CONCLUSION: Most Nigerian secondary school students were not knowledgeable about BLS. Therefore, there is need for the creation of more awareness among the students.

Despite high psychosocial needs that negatively affect the quality of life of adults living with cancer and their family caregivers, there is a lack of interventions that are culturally sensitive to low-income countries. This protocol tests the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of a socio-spiritual intervention to improve the quality of life of adult Nigerians living with cancer and their family caregivers. This two-arm trial will recruit 152 adults with cancer and their family caregivers (76 dyads). Participants will be recruited from a clinical facility in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group at a 1:1 ratio. The intervention consists of four weekly face-to-face sessions with a focus on spirituality, social support, and information needs. Control participants will receive usual care. Outcome measures include feasibility, spiritual need, social need, information, cancer health literacy, and quality of life collected at baseline and immediate post-intervention. Nigeria has the highest rate of extreme poverty globally with high rates of cancer mortality. Testing the feasibility of social-spiritual interventions in resource poor settings is important to establish preliminary efficacy and sustainability. Family-centred interventions for adults living with cancer and their family caregivers can strengthen their coping capabilities. If this intervention is feasible and effective, it could be implemented both in clinical practice and communities in other low and middle income countries.