Family Caregivers’ Support Needs in Caring for End-Stage Cancer Patients

Abstract

Caring for patients with end-stage cancer is complex. Family caregivers take important roles in caring. Understanding needs of those family caregivers is essential. This descriptive research aimed to determine family’s support needs among family caregivers of patients with end-stage cancer. The 100 representatives of family caregivers were purposive selected. Data were collected at a university hospital, a regional hospital, and a cancer hospital in southern part of Thailand. The research instruments composed of the demographic questionnaire and the family support need assessment tool. The research instruments were validated by three experts and reliability was tested by using Chronbach’s alpha coefficients (α =  .73). The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics.

                The results revealed that the family’s support need for caring the end-stage cancer patients as a whole was at a moderate level (M = 1.92, SD = 0.78). Family caregivers reported high level of support regarding caring of the patients (M = 2.21, SD = 0.73) and a moderate level (M = 1.63, SD = 0.84) regarding caring for themselves.

                The findings of this study can contribute better understanding among health care providers regarding levels of supportive needs among family caregivers of the end-stage cancer patients. This knowledge can be used to guide appropriate care for family caregivers.