Giving Voice to the Healthy Siblings of Children with Cancer: A Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5294/aqui.2025.25.4.3Keywords:
Sibling relations, child, cancer, life experiences, nursingAbstract
Introduction: Childhood cancer affects all family members, which is why recent studies have begun to show the vulnerability of healthy siblings who are involved in psychosocial, social, and academic aspects of patients’ lives. Objectives: To identify the experiences lived by healthy siblings of children with cancer that affect their well-being and quality of life during and after the illness. Materials and Methods: A scoping review based on the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, using the databases Web of Science, PubMed, CUIDEN, and CINAHL, following PRISMA guidelines, conducted between August 2024 and January 2025, with the descriptors Siblings, Children, Cancer, Social Problems, Experience, and Research. The findings of the selected articles were subjected to thematic analysis by the authors. Results: Twenty-three scientific articles were selected, and four categories were identified: (a) Family distancing, (b) Deterioration of the healthy sibling’s relationship with parents, (c) Impact on the healthy sibling’s private life, and (d) Coping strategies developed by healthy siblings. Conclusions: Healthy siblings face complex situations that compromise their well-being. Despite this, they manage to adapt, though they remain at risk of developing physical, socioemotional, and academic consequences. Therefore, they require active and multidimensional interventions that include them in their entirety and promote their quality of life.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Paula Andrea Vega-Vega, Amalia Sáez Álvarez, Sofía Poblete Villegas, Camila Concha Méndez
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