암환자 보호자의 호스피스 완화의료에 대한 요구도, 지식 및 돌봄 부담감

Abstract

This study aims to describe needs and knowledge for hospice palliative care, caregiving burden among cancer family members and identify factors that influence the needs. As cancer is recognized as a chronic disease and its nursing period becomes longer, cancer family members’ caregiving burden is on the rise, along with the emphasis on the importance for hospice palliative care. However, since national policies for caregivers in South Korea are very rare, this research was carried out to examine needs, knowledge for hospice palliative care and caregiving burden and provide care strategies for family caregivers. This descriptive correlation study was conducted with the structured questionnaire that tested caregiver’s needs, knowledge for hospice palliative care and the Zarit Burden Interview(ZBI) of 162 cancer family members. They were measured for their needs and knowledge for hospice palliative care and caregiving burden. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Ttest, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and Linear multiple regression by SPSS WIN 25.0 program. Over half of the caregivers were male(53.1%) and less than half of them were spouse(48.8%) and age of 46 years. Most cancer patients’ ECOG Performance scale was 1(83.3%). The needs was 90.32(SD=17.12) indicating high level, knowledge correct answers rate was 47.5% indicating low level, and mean scores of ZBI was 32.53(SD=13.94) indicating moderate. Positive correlations were found between caregiver burden and needs for hospice palliative care, knowledge and needs for hospice palliative care. In the regression model, knowledge, caregiving burden, age and relationship with patient were identified as the determining factors of the needs of caregivers(R2=.183, F=6.980, p＜.001). This study highlights the utmost needs for early palliative care. Policies and social support must be established to alleviate the caregiving burden, enhance the level of knowledge and reduce the needs for hospice palliative care. They are essential not only for caregivers but also cancer patients.