Supportive Care/Support Interventions

Supportive care involves the provision of emotional support informally or through structured interventions. Support interventions include activities such as general counseling related to emotional and other issues, active listening, and presence. Supportive interventions may be provided by healthcare professionals or may be structured as peer group support. Interventions can be one-on-one individualized sessions, support group sessions, or specific interventions with caregivers, families, etc. Support interventions may be provided via telephone, physical presence, or online groups that may be either referereed by a professional or unrefereed. Expressive writing for emotional disclosure can be seen as a specific type of supportive intervention; however, it is not grouped in the intervention of supportive care. Expressive writing, as a very specific approach, is evaluated in ONS PEP resources as its own type of intervention. Supportive care/support interventions have been evaluated in patients with cancer for anxiety, caregiver strain and burden, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and depression