Palliative care recovery outcomes: nature of recovery outcomes among cancer patients in Nairobi and Nyeri counties, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: This study sought to find out nature of recovery outcomes among cancer patients attending palliative care in Nairobi and Nyeri County Methodology: The study adopted a correlation research design. The target population was the cancer patients, attending treatment at the three palliative care units in Nairobi and Nyeri Counties. Systematic random sampling technique was used in the study to obtain a sample of 96 participants. Semi structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, namely Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient(r). Findings: Result showed that, majority of the respondents (65.5%) had a low level of recovery outcomes, while 32.1% had a high level of recovery outcomes. results indicate that the lowest score on recovery outcomes was 31, while the highest score was 74. The mean score was 47.0+9.465, which indicates that the recovery outcomes fell in the low range. These findings were not unusual considering that most of the patients were newly diagnosed with cancer and for some respondent’s metastasis had set in. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that the counsellor in collaboration with the administrators and medical staff in the palliative care units should create awareness and encourage the attending patients to source for a health insurance cover e.g. National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to cater for the cancer disease both outpatient and incase of hospitalization. This will ease the financial burden of cancer on the patient, family and community which was identified as a challenge