Psychological experience of primary caregivers of patients with cancer-related pain:a qualitative study / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To understand the psychological experience of primary caregivers of patients with cancer-related pain,care to focus on caregivers psychological health, improve life quality and ability to cope with pain. Methods A qualitative, descriptive, semi-structured research were used in this study. Nineteen primary caregivers of cancer patients with cancer-related pain were in-depth interviewed. Colaizzi′s analytical method was adopted to analyze the data, which were then organized into themes and subthemes. Results The primary caregivers confronting cancer-related pain experienced a series of negative psychological changes, worry, fear, anxiety, vexation, sadness, helplessness and powerlessness, their physical and mental health, life were also affected .The primary caregivers were lack of pain related knowledge and pain management skills generally. Conclusion Medical staff should pay high attention to the psychology status of primary caregivers, to provide support, health education and skill training of pain coping strategies, which then might help relieve cancer patients′pain and in turn improve their quality of life.