Palliative care for cancer patients who experience self-perceived burden: suggestions from an qualitative study for bereaved family members

Cancer patients in terminal phase often feel self-perceived burden to their family and medical staff. The self-perceived burden should be alleviated, though needed care has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to investigate the self-perceived burden of terminal cancer patients and needed care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for twenty-eight bereaved family members of cancer patients. The results revealed, 1) cancer patients' self-perceived burdens; including eight categories such as “It is distressful to have other people take care of my excretory needs”, 2) cancer patients' self-perceived behaviors to cope with their emotional burdens; including 11 categories such as “Telling the family to give higher priority to their work and plans”, 3) families' feelings and coping behaviors; including 15 categories such as “I thought of the patient's withholding of requests as a consideration for me“, and 4) care required for the patients' self-perceived burden; including nine categories such as “Speaking naturally instead of emphasizing something in particular”. The usefulness of care should be discussed.

A field survey on educational activities for palliative care for citizens and patients

<b>Purpose</b>: Improving knowledge of palliative care among cancer patients and the general public may be useful for achieving a better quality of life for cancer patients. The aim of this study was to identify the actual situation after the dissemination of leaflets, booklets, and posters as a part of a regional palliative care program. <b>Methods</b>: We distributed leaflets, booklets, and posters on palliative care to 257 administrative and health institutions across the region. We also visited 216 institutions (84%) to observe the actual situation and performed interviews in 133 of the institutions (62%). <b>Results</b>: Overall, 58% of the institutions used the leaflets, booklets or posters. Public halls, libraries and hospitals used them at a rate of 65% or higher. Interviews identified 7 themes, including "explaining the aim of the project before dissemination is important", "few cancer patients or even the general public visit", "staff made various efforts to display the items after dissemination", and "staff learned from the leaflets and booklets, even if cancer patients seldom visited". <b>Conclusion</b>: The dissemination of leaflets, booklets or posters throughout the region might be useful for conveying accurate knowledge about palliative care not only for cancer patients and the general public, but also for health care professionals. Target institutions should include public halls, libraries, and hospitals, and pre-dissemination discussions about the aim of the project and what kinds of people visit the institutions in addition to post-dissemination follow-up may be useful. Palliat Care Res 2010;5(2): 171-174