Document Type : Research Articles
Authors
1
Department of Nursing, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.
2
Family and Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
3
Assistant Professor, EMS Department, AL-Ghad College for Applied Medical Sciences, Riyadh, KSA.
4
Lecturer of Anaesthesia and Surgical ICU, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
5
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj11942, Saudi Arabia.
6
Department of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
7
Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
8
Lecturer of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
9
Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia.
10
Department of Community and Mental Health, College of Nursing, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
11
Lecturer of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.
12
Assistant Professor, Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.
Abstract
Objectives: Palliative care is a holistic, patient-centered approach to improving the quality of life for those with terminal diseases and their families. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the Egyptian domestic caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and competencies related to palliative and supportive care. Methods: Three hundred and thirty-five family caregivers in total were recruited. A descriptive research design was used. Four tools were used to collect data; structured interview questionnaire to collect demographic questions, palliative care knowledge questionnaire, Palliative Attitude Scale, and Competence Scale. The study was conducted in oncology outpatient and pain clinics located at the Damietta Cancer Institute in Damietta Governorate, Egypt. Results: Nearly two-thirds of the informal family caregivers are aged between 30-40 years old; 54% are female, and 83% are married. Also, sixty-seven point eight of the informal family caregivers were working (part-time). Furthermore, 65 % of them had insufficient knowledge, 68 % had a positive attitude, and 58% of the informal family caregivers had non-competency skills regarding palliative and supportive care. Conclusion: Approximately two-thirds of informal care providers had insufficient total knowledge scores, more than half possessed a positive attitude, and more than half reported non-competency skills regarding palliative care of hepatocellular patients. Recommendation: It is highly advisable to launch extensive health education programs and campaigns aimed at all of the unpaid informal family careers of patients with serious terminal illnesses, including hepatocellular carcinoma, at various governments with greater sample sizes.
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