Objective:

identify scientific nursing evidence related to the experience of family caregivers of women who have breast cancer.

Methodology:

An integrative review was conducted following Ganong’s guidelines. It included a database search of EMBASE, OVID, PUBMED, SAGE journals, SCIELO, Google Academic, ISI Web of Science and SCOPUS. The focus was on articles published between 2000 and 2016.

Results:

The review included 18 articles that are the result of qualitative primary studies; their theoretical-methodological references were phenomenology and the grounded theory. Semi-structured and in-depth interview were the data collection techniques used. The following categories are presented and discussed as findings: impact of the diagnosis; what it means to be a caregiver; effects on the caregiver; coping strategies; changes in roles and relationships; and social support.

Conclusions:

The characteristics of the caregivers vary and it is necessary to know about the culture and resources in each context. Caregivers require clear and timely information about their role and the skills they must develop, especially if they are to provide emotional support. It is necessary to research these experiences in the Mexican context. The relationship between parents and children in the families of women with breast cancer is a topic that has received little study, and future research on this subject is required.

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