Department of Human Development and Family Science, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
J Palliat Med. 2021 Jul;24(7):1056-1060. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0010. Epub 2021 Mar 10.
Understanding challenges of family caregivers within specific palliative care contexts is needed. To describe the challenges of family caregivers of patients with cancer who receive outpatient palliative care. We summarized the most common and most challenging problems for 80 family caregivers of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care in the midwestern United States. Caregiver worry and difficulty managing side effects or symptoms other than pain, constipation, and shortness of breath were most common. "Financial concerns" was cited most as a "top 3" problem. Almost half of caregivers reported "other" problems, including family members, patient physical function, care coordination, and patient emotional state. The most common and most challenging problems of family caregivers of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care may differ from those experienced in other serious illness care contexts. Comparative studies on caregiver problems across the cancer care continuum can help develop and refine interventions.
需要了解特定姑息治疗环境下的家庭照顾者所面临的挑战。为了描述在美国中西部接受门诊姑息治疗的癌症患者的家庭照顾者所面临的挑战。我们总结了 80 名接受门诊姑息治疗的癌症患者的家庭照顾者最常见和最具挑战性的问题。照顾者的担忧以及除疼痛、便秘和呼吸急促以外的其他症状的管理困难最为常见。“经济问题”被列为“前三大”问题之一。近一半的照顾者报告了“其他”问题，包括家庭成员、患者的身体功能、护理协调和患者的情绪状态。接受门诊姑息治疗的癌症患者的家庭照顾者最常见和最具挑战性的问题可能与在其他严重疾病护理环境中所经历的问题不同。对癌症护理连续体中照顾者问题的比较研究可以帮助制定和完善干预措施。
