The effect of an educational palliative care intervention on the quality of life of patients with incurable cancer and their caregivers.

PURPOSE

The study aims to determine the effect of educational intervention provided to caregivers of hospitalized patients with terminal cancer theoretically, practically, and visually on their own and patients' quality of life.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was conducted at a palliative care unit in Turkey between January and June 2019. The study included 35 hospitalized patients with cancer and 35 caregivers. Caregivers were provided with educational intervention three times a week apart. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Friedman test, and iterative analysis of variance.

RESULTS

After the educational intervention, there was an increase in cancer patients' emotional function sub-scale and global health and decrease in their fatigue and nausea-vomiting symptoms (p<0.05). The mean scores of caregivers from role difficulty, pain, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health sub-scales were high (positively) (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Educational intervention has a positive effect on caregiver burden and recovery in some quality of life sub-scales of both patients and caregivers.