Support that cancer peer supporters working at medical institutions currently receive and the support they actually need

Objectives This research aims to ascertain the kinds of support cancer peer supporters at medical institutions currently receive and the support they actually need.Methods Participants in the study were ten cancer peer supporters who were recommended by a patient association and who agreed to participate in the study. Using a qualitative descriptive method, interviews were conducted using an interview guide from July to October 2014. Codes were extracted from the interview transcript and divided into categories and subcategories. Accuracy was ensured by checking the data with the participants. The study was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Committee of Mejiro University.Results Research participants consisted of two men and eight women aged forty to seventy years, who were private counselors, telephone counselors, or members of cancer salons at hospitals. Four categories were generated on the basis of the support that cancer peer supporters are currently receiving: mutual learning and support among peer supporters, learning and encouragement from patients, self-improvement in peer supporters, and cooperation with hospitals and the government. Seven categories were generated on the basis of the support that cancer peer supporters need: opportunities for peer supporters to learn from and support each other, further studies on cancer peer support, reliable and up-to-date information, society's understanding and cooperation regarding cancer, financial support for support activities and patient associations, improvement of cancer peer support system, and quality assurance of peer supporter training courses.Conclusion Cancer peer supporters were supporting each other, gaining encouragement from patients, improving themselves, and gaining support from others. However, they also needed additional assistance such as opportunities for supporters to learn from and support each other and reliable and up-to-date information. Moreover, peer supporters needed advice and emotional support from hospital staff as they experienced difficulties during consultation. Various other types of support were needed, such as society's understanding and cooperation regarding cancer, financial support for support activities and patient associations, institutionalization of peer supporter placement in hospitals, and quality assurance of peer supporter training courses. Overall, support for cancer peer supporters is still not sufficient; thus, further help is necessary.