Psychosocial effects of palliative care-giving on primary care-givers of elderly people with advanced cancers in Manyatta constituency, Embu county, Kenya
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Date
2012
Authors
Mugendi, Teresia Njeri
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Global statistics show that people providing primary palliative care to cancer victims are
faced by different challenges ranging from fear of impending death, economic, social,
stigma, loss of function or place in the society, emotional bum-out e.t.c., all of which
impact negatively on their emotional wellbeing. The purpose of the study was to
investigate psychosocial effects of palliative care-giving on primary palliative care-givers
attending elderly people with advanced cancers in Manyatta constituency, Embu County.
The study was informed by two theories; Social Role Theory and Transactional Stress
Model. The findings of this study helped to recommend counseling intervention
measures that may help to curb the perceived psychosocial effects. In this study,
descriptive research design was used in order to capture subjective feelings of the
respondents. A sample was drawn using purposeful sampling technique. Stratified
random sampling was also used to get representative sample of 30 respondents from all
administrative division in the Constituency. The data was collected using questionnaires.
The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in frequency
distributions, means, ranks and percentages. Majority of the primary care-givers were
spouses of the patients, and their psychosocial needs were financial, training, counseling
and social support from other stakeholders. The researcher established that care-giving
roles were demanding and exhausting, hence they interfered with normal life causing
isolation, anxiety, hostility and hopelessness. However, these roles could also bring
positive emotion feelings such as love and intimacy with the patient. The findings of this
study may help to identify appropriate interventions strategies that could help to mitigate
the psychosocial effects of palliative care-giving on primary care-givers. The researcher
recommended that a lot of social support, counseling and basic care-giving training
should be given to the primary care-givers to support them. It is also recommended that
the palliative care-givers be provided with counseling therapies on regular basis. The
knowledge gained from this research is helpful in recommending guidelines that may
help in the formulation of appropriate counseling interventions by the Ministry of Health,
Hospices, Policy makers, Counselors and other stakeholders working with terminally ill
people.
Description
Department of Psychology, 66p. 2012