This literature review aims to identify interventions used to support male partners of women diagnosed with breast cancer and to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. A systematic search of five databases related to healthcare and psychology was conducted between 2008 and 2018. The electronic database search was supplemented by hand searching reference lists, titles and abstracts of relevant articles. Narrative synthesis was undertaken to analyse the data and identify themes. A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria for this literature review.

Four main categories of intervention were identified in the literature: couple-focused therapy; individual therapy; educational counselling; and support groups. The narrative synthesis also identified five themes relating to the effectiveness of interventions used to support male partners of women diagnosed with breast cancer.

While evidence about the efficacy of interventions aimed at supporting the male partners of women diagnosed with breast cancer is not well disseminated, this literature review identified factors that nurses may consider when caring for this patient population. For example, guilt can have a significant negative effect on male partners’ quality of life, and interventions are particularly effective for male partners experiencing significant distress, or who are in shorter relationships.

Future practice developments will require further research into the effects of interventions on the male partners of women diagnosed with breast cancer.