Chosen Family Caregivers of Sexually and Gender Diverse Breast Cancer Survivors: An Integrative Review

Background: Evidence confirms an association between the psychosocial well-being of heterosexual cisgender women with breast cancer and their male spouses/partners. Sexually and gender diverse (SGD) people have multiple risk factors that increase their likelihood of developing breast cancer. Given that SGD people also have varied caregiving networks, it is important to understand caregivers’ experiences and the effect of their coping on the psychosocial well-being of SGD breast cancer survivors. Objective: To identify and synthesize peer-reviewed literature published in English from 1998 to 2023 that delineated the experience of unpaid caregivers for SGD breast cancer survivors. Methods: Systematic search of CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubMed and review following Whittemore and Knafl’s methodology. Results: Of 169 identified articles, 116 were screened, and 7 (reporting on 4 studies) were included. Included studies were conducted in the United States between 2005 and 2023; were cross-sectional; and used qualitative and quantitative methods. No intervention studies were identified. Caregivers of SGD breast cancer survivors were found to play an integral role in care, but experienced fear, stress, and discrimination. Conclusions: Current knowledge is limited by a few studies and samples lacking racial/ethnic diversity. Future research is needed on interventions to promote psychosocial well-being for SGD breast cancer survivors and their caregivers. Implications for Practice: Oncology practitioners must foster inclusive and supportive environments, inquire about chosen family structures, and integrate caregivers into treatment plans for SGD survivors. Foundational: This review identifies methodological gaps and limitations of the existing literature on caregivers of SGD breast cancer survivors to support future research.