Gates M F, Lackey N R
School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Kansas City, USA.
Image J Nurs Sch. 1998;30(1):11-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.1998.tb01229.x.
To describe the caregiving provided by children and adolescents for adults with cancer. Because nurses are assuming an increasingly prominent role in working with caregivers, it is necessary to understand young caregivers.
The population of interest was youngsters aged 10 to 19 caring for adults at home with cancer. Eleven children and adolescents in seven families were recruited, 1993-1994, through purposive sampling from hospices and cancer clinics.
Phenomenologic interviews, ethnographic interviews and selected participant observation experiences, and identification of needs through an unstructured survey were used.
"Hard, but gratifying" emerged as the dominant phenomenologic description of caregiving. Emergent ethnographic themes indicated caregiving by children and adolescents was an expectation of family life. School and church were described as avenues for social support for youngsters in care-giving situations.
Youngsters aged 10 to 19 are caring for adults with cancer at home. Further descriptive study of youngsters caring for adults with cancer is needed.
描述儿童和青少年为成年癌症患者提供的照料情况。鉴于护士在与照料者合作中发挥着越来越重要的作用,有必要了解年轻照料者。
研究对象为年龄在10至19岁、在家中照料成年癌症患者的青少年。1993年至1994年期间,通过从临终关怀机构和癌症诊所进行目的抽样,招募了7个家庭中的11名儿童和青少年。
采用现象学访谈、人种学访谈及选定的参与观察体验,并通过非结构化调查确定需求。
“艰难但令人满足”成为照料情况的主要现象学描述。新出现的人种学主题表明,儿童和青少年的照料是家庭生活的一种期望。学校和教会被描述为处于照料情境中的青少年获得社会支持的途径。
10至19岁的青少年在家中照料成年癌症患者。需要对照料成年癌症患者的青少年进行进一步的描述性研究。