Claxton-Oldfield Stephen, Gosselin Natasha, Claxton-Oldfield Jane
Psychology Department, Mount Allison University, 49A York Street, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2009 Feb-Mar;26(1):47-51. doi: 10.1177/1049909108327026. Epub 2008 Dec 1.
A community sample of 100 adults was asked to imagine that they had been recently diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. After reading about the services provided by hospice palliative care volunteers, participants were asked whether they would choose to have a volunteer help them and to give a reason for their answer. Eighty-nine of the 100 participants indicated that they would use the help of a volunteer. The most commonly given reasons for utilizing a volunteer included for the general support they provide, help with practical things, and lack of family nearby; reasons given for declining the services of a volunteer included "I'm a private person'' and "I don't need any help.'' Sixty-five participants knew that such a volunteer program was available. Of the 35 participants who did not, 31 (89%) expected their family doctor to tell them about it. The implications of these findings for volunteer program coordinators are discussed.
100名成年人的社区样本被要求想象他们最近被诊断出患有一种危及生命的疾病。在阅读了临终关怀志愿者提供的服务后，参与者被问及他们是否会选择让一名志愿者来帮助他们，并给出他们答案的理由。100名参与者中有89人表示他们会利用志愿者的帮助。利用志愿者最常见的理由包括他们提供的一般支持、在实际事务上的帮助以及附近没有家人；拒绝志愿者服务的理由包括“我是个喜欢独处的人”和“我不需要任何帮助”。65名参与者知道有这样一个志愿者项目。在不知道的35名参与者中，31人（89%）期望他们的家庭医生告诉他们。文中讨论了这些发现对志愿者项目协调员的启示。
