{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T05:05:31Z","timestamp":1777093531066,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768521600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":15,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["cambridge.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Pall Supp Care"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"S1478951525101466_sec1a\">\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The importance of palliative care in cancer care is underscored, yet there is a significant gap in research specifically focusing on the role of social workers in palliative cancer care. This qualitative study aims to better articulate the specific roles of social workers within palliative oncology settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"S1478951525101466_sec2b\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Data were collected by semi-structured Zoom interviews with social workers in palliative cancer care between November 2023 and January 2024. Thematic analysis was used to identify unique themes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"S1478951525101466_sec3c\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Ten social workers in palliative cancer care were recruited for this study. Eight key themes related to social workers\u2019 role emerged from the interviews. These were the following: (1) mapping out holistic needs through a biopsychosocial\u2013spiritual assessment, (2) providing individual and family counseling, (3) patient and family psychoeducation, (4) resource identification and referral, (5) building communication bridges between patients, families, and oncology teams, (6) promoting patient and family engagement and voice in shared decision-making in cancer care, (7) providing anticipatory grief and bereavement counseling, and (8) strengthening team resilience and fostering well-being.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"S1478951525101466_sec4d\">\n                    <jats:title>Significance of results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study builds upon prior work by focusing specifically on the roles of palliative care social workers in oncology. The findings highlight the multifaceted roles of social workers, demonstrating their capacity to deliver holistic care to cancer patients, families, and healthcare providers to enhance quality of care. The findings may help inform the development of training curricula and practice standards for the subspecialty of oncology-focused palliative social work.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1017\/s1478951525101466","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T07:49:23Z","timestamp":1768549763000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/policypage","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["\u201cWe are caring for the whole person\u201d: A qualitative study of social work\u2019s role in palliative cancer care"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5750-4742","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ting","family":"Guan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Indiana University"},{"name":"Indiana University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Arden","family":"O\u2019Donnell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shameem","family":"Varikkodan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Louisville"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sadaf","family":"Sedaghatshoar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Louisville"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Karlynn","family":"BrintzenhofeSzoc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Louisville"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(07)70138-9","article-title":"From margins to centre: a review of the history of palliative care in cancer","volume":"8","author":"Clark","year":"2007","journal-title":"The Lancet Oncology"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/26323524241263625","article-title":"The growth of social work in palliative and end-of-life care in the United States: how did we get here?","volume":"18","author":"Csikai","year":"2024","journal-title":"Palliative Care and Social Practice"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(11)70002-X","article-title":"Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder in oncological, haematological, and palliative-care settings: a meta-analysis of 94 interview-based studies","volume":"12","author":"Mitchell","year":"2011","journal-title":"Lancet Oncolology"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.1001\/jamacardio.2018.0589","article-title":"Social worker\u2013aided palliative care intervention in high-risk patients with heart failure (SWAP-HF): a pilot randomized clinical trial","volume":"3","author":"O\u2019Donnell","year":"2018","journal-title":"JAMA Cardiology"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1002\/cncr.35976","article-title":"Patient\u2010reported discordance between care goals and treatment intent in advanced cancer","volume":"131","author":"Shah","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1077","DOI":"10.1136\/ijgc-2024-005300","article-title":"Evidence and best practices for trauma-informed care in gynecologic oncology patients","volume":"34","author":"Fulton","year":"2024","journal-title":"International Journal of Gynecological Cancer"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"238","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaoncol.2020.6343","article-title":"Effectiveness of integrated palliative and oncology care for patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a randomized clinical trial","volume":"7","author":"El-Jawahri","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Oncology"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21245","article-title":"Implementing and evaluating shared decision making in oncology practice","volume":"64","author":"Kane","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ca A Cancer Journal for Clinicians"},{"key":"S1478951525101466_ref23","unstructured":"National Association of Social Workers (n.d.) 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