**Background:** The Hispanic/Latino population is the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the U.S., with an estimated 176,600 new cancer cases and 46,500 cancer deaths in 2021. Latino cancer patients experience higher symptom burden, psychological distress, poorer health-related quality of life, and greater unmet psychosocial needs compared to non-Hispanic Whites, driven by social determinants such as lower socioeconomic status (16% poverty rate vs. 7% for non-Hispanic Whites in 2019), language barriers, and the highest uninsured rate in the U.S. Family caregivers, rooted in the cultural value of familismo, provide essential support but face challenges including communication difficulties, social isolation, financial burden, and poorer mental health. Family-based psychosocial interventions have shown promise for improving outcomes for both patients and caregivers, but little is known about their application specifically to Latino populations.
**Methods:** The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021274993). Six databases (PubMed, CINAHL Plus, APA PsycInfo, Scopus, SciELO, LILACS) and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception through June 2022. Inclusion criteria were: (1) studies targeting adult Latino patients (≥18 years) with cancer and their adult caregivers, or reporting subgroup analyses of Latino participants; (2) family-based psychosocial or behavioral interventions; (3) RCT or quasi-experimental design; (4) published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Two coauthors independently screened titles/abstracts and full texts, with conflicts resolved through team discussion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for quasi-experimental studies. Data were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity.
**Key Results:** Of 4,966 screened records, 5 studies met inclusion criteria. Four were conducted in the U.S. (Arizona and California) and one in Brazil (São Paulo). Three were RCTs and two were quasi-experimental; three were pilot studies. Sample sizes ranged from 18 to 230 patient-caregiver dyads. Three studies focused on breast cancer; two included mixed cancer types. Mean patient age ranged from 20 to 64 years; caregiver age from 43 to 53 years. Four studies included only female patients. Caregivers included spouses/partners, children, siblings, parents, and friends. At least 94% of U.S. participants self-identified as Latino; most households had income <$60,000.
Interventions incorporated cultural values (familismo, respeto, confianza, personalismo, simpatia, espiritu), used bilingual/bicultural interventionists, and provided Spanish-language materials. Delivery modes included telephone counseling, in-person sessions, printed materials, text messaging, and Fitbit self-monitoring. Intervention duration ranged from 4 weeks to 7 months; frequency from a single session to 12 weekly sessions.
KEY OUTCOMES
Badger et al. (2013) found both telephone interpersonal counseling (TIP-C) and telephone health education (THE) significantly improved all dimensions of quality of life over 16 weeks for patients and caregivers, with no superiority of either intervention. Badger et al. (2020) reported TIP-C was superior to supported health education (SHE) for depression management in survivors immediately post-intervention, while SHE was more successful for anxiety, social isolation, and cancer-related symptoms. Casillas et al. (2021) found a photonovela intervention significantly increased confidence in survivorship care management for survivors at follow-up and booster (p<0.05) and for family members at follow-up (p<0.05); knowledge significantly increased for family members at booster (p<0.05); cancer stigma did not significantly decrease for survivors but significantly increased for family members at booster (p<0.05). Crane et al. (2021) reported 63% consent rate, 86% of intervention dyads completed ≥75% of sessions; medium-to-large effect sizes for dietary changes (fruits, vegetables, sugar intake) and physical activity in survivors, and medium-to-large effects for sugar intake reduction in caregivers; medium-to-large intervention effects for improved summed symptom severity in survivors but no effect for caregivers. Mourao et al. (2017) found all 10 items of the Brazilian Social Support Scale were statistically significant except Question 1, indicating higher perceived social support among breast cancer patients after brief motivational interviewing delivered to caregivers.
RISK OF BIAS
Two RCTs had low risk of bias; one had unclear risk due to lack of description of allocation concealment and blinding. Both quasi-experimental studies scored 5/9 on the JBI checklist.
**Clinical Implications:** This first systematic review of family-based psychosocial interventions for adult Latino cancer patients and caregivers demonstrates that culturally adapted interventions can improve quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression, enhance health behaviors, increase cancer knowledge, and improve self-efficacy and social support. However, the evidence base is limited to only five studies, mostly pilot studies with small samples, narrow geographic focus (U.S. Southwest and Brazil), and predominance of female breast cancer patients. The review highlights the critical need for rigorously designed RCTs with larger, more diverse Latino samples (including both genders, varied cancer types, and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds), standardized outcome measures, and attention to dyadic-level and healthcare system-level outcomes. Clinically, incorporating familismo, bilingual interventionists, and linguistically appropriate materials appears essential for engagement and efficacy in this population.