Department of Gerontological Nursing, School of Nursing, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
J Palliat Med. 2022 Jan;25(1):81-88. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0043. Epub 2021 Aug 4.
The quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers often deteriorates after the death of patients with terminal cancer. Although previous retrospective cross-sectional studies of the bereaved family caregivers of cancer patients have suggested that lower satisfaction with care given to terminal cancer patients was related to lower QOL of the bereaved family caregivers, the retrospective cross-sectional study design has limitations. To clarify family caregivers' satisfaction with the care of terminal cancer patients and bereaved family caregivers' QOL. A prospective pre- and postloss study. Family caregivers of terminal cancer patients were recruited from three inpatient hospice/palliative care units in Japan. Family caregivers completed questionnaires, including the Family Satisfaction with Advanced Cancer Care (FAMCARE) scale before loss and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire before loss and six months after the patient's death. A total of 114 family caregivers were included in each analysis. After the patient's death, bereaved family caregivers' mental component summary score of SF-36 significantly differed between low- and high-satisfaction caregiver groups ( = 47 in both groups, mean difference = 3.50, = 0.048). The proportion of family caregivers with depressive symptoms (moderate or worse) at preloss was 41% (25/61) in the low-satisfaction group and 22% (11/51) in the high-satisfaction group. Family caregivers' satisfaction with the care provided to terminal cancer patients at the end of their lives was associated with the bereaved family caregivers' QOL six months postloss. Enhancing family caregivers' satisfaction with care has the potential to improve their postloss QOL.
临终癌症患者的家属在患者去世后生活质量（QOL）通常会恶化。尽管先前对癌症患者丧亲家属的回顾性横断面研究表明，对临终癌症患者护理的满意度较低与丧亲家属的 QOL 较低有关，但回顾性横断面研究设计存在局限性。为了明确家属对临终癌症患者护理的满意度和丧亲家属的 QOL。一项前瞻性预损失和后损失研究。从日本的三个住院临终关怀/姑息治疗单位招募了临终癌症患者的家属。家属在损失前完成了问卷，包括家庭对晚期癌症护理的满意度量表（FAMCARE）和损失前和患者死亡后六个月的 36 项简短健康调查问卷（SF-36）。共有 114 名家属参与了每项分析。患者去世后，SF-36 的心理成分综合评分在低满意度和高满意度护理组之间存在显著差异（每组 = 47，平均差异 = 3.50， = 0.048）。低满意度组中，在损失前有抑郁症状（中度或更严重）的家属比例为 41%（25/61），高满意度组为 22%（11/51）。临终癌症患者生命末期护理的满意度与丧亲家属六个月后的 QOL 相关。提高家属对护理的满意度有可能改善他们的损失后 QOL。
