Exploring the unmet needs of family caregivers of cancer patients in Southwest Nigeria

Q2 Nursing

International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences Pub Date : 2025-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100864

P.O. Amoo, N. Busisiwe

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Cancer imposes a significant burden on family caregivers in low-resource settings like Southwest Nigeria, where financial strain, limited information, and emotional distress are prevalent but often unaddressed. Understanding these unmet needs is vital for enhancing caregiver support and patient outcomes.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the unmet needs of family caregivers of cancer patients in Southwest Nigeria and evaluate the adequacy of information provided for effective caregiving.

Methods

An ethnographic approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and ethnographic observations. Data were collected from 35 caregivers across multiple hospitals and home settings in Southwest Nigeria over six months and analysed using thematic analysis with NVIVO version 12.

Results

findings showed that majority of the caregivers are female 60 %, mean age 39.6 years, key unmet needs included financial strain due to high treatment costs (reported by most participants), insufficient information about cancer and caregiving (lack of guidance on patient care), emotional and psychological stress (distress from patient suffering), inadequate support from healthcare providers (poor communication), and social isolation exacerbated by misconceptions about cancer contagiousness. Caregivers emphasised the need for transparent communication, financial aid, and emotional support.

Conclusion

This study underscores the critical unmet needs of family caregivers in Southwest Nigeria, highlighting the necessity for improved communication, financial assistance, and psychosocial interventions. Policy changes are essential to recognize caregivers as integral to cancer care. Future research should investigate tailored intervention models for diverse settings.

查看原文本刊更多论文

探索尼日利亚西南部癌症患者家庭照顾者未满足的需求

背景：在尼日利亚西南部等资源匮乏的地区，癌症给家庭照顾者带来了沉重的负担，在这些地区，经济压力、信息有限和情绪困扰普遍存在，但往往得不到解决。了解这些未满足的需求对于加强护理人员支持和患者预后至关重要。目的本研究旨在探讨尼日利亚西南部癌症患者家庭照护者未被满足的需求，并评估为有效照护提供的信息的充分性。方法采用民族志方法，包括半结构化访谈、焦点小组讨论和民族志观察。在六个月的时间里，从尼日利亚西南部多家医院和家庭环境中收集了35名护理人员的数据，并使用NVIVO version 12进行了专题分析。结果发现，大多数护理人员为女性，占60%，平均年龄39.6岁，未满足的主要需求包括治疗费用高导致的经济压力（大多数参与者报告），关于癌症和护理的信息不足（缺乏患者护理指导），情绪和心理压力（患者痛苦的痛苦），卫生保健提供者的支持不足（沟通不周），医疗保健服务提供者的支持不足（沟通不周）。对癌症传染性的误解加剧了社会孤立。护理人员强调需要透明的沟通、经济援助和情感支持。结论：本研究强调了尼日利亚西南部家庭照顾者未被满足的关键需求，强调了改善沟通、经济援助和社会心理干预的必要性。必须改变政策，以认识到护理人员是癌症护理的组成部分。未来的研究应该针对不同的环境探索量身定制的干预模式。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences Nursing-Nursing (all)

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

0.00%

发文量

114

审稿时长

21 weeks

期刊介绍： International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences (IJANS) is an international scientific journal published by Elsevier. The broad-based journal was founded on two key tenets, i.e. to publish the most exciting research with respect to the subjects of Nursing and Midwifery in Africa, and secondly, to advance the international understanding and development of nursing and midwifery in Africa, both as a profession and as an academic discipline. The fully refereed journal provides a forum for all aspects of nursing and midwifery sciences, especially new trends and advances. The journal call for original research papers, systematic and scholarly review articles, and critical papers which will stimulate debate on research, policy, theory or philosophy of nursing as related to nursing and midwifery in Africa, technical reports, and short communications, and which will meet the journal''s high academic and ethical standards. Manuscripts of nursing practice, education, management, and research are encouraged. The journal values critical scholarly debate on issues that have strategic significance for educators, practitioners, leaders and policy-makers of nursing and midwifery in Africa. The journal publishes the highest quality scholarly contributions reflecting the diversity of nursing, and is also inviting international scholars who are engaged with nursing and midwifery in Africa to contribute to the journal. We will only publish work that demonstrates the use of rigorous methodology as well as by publishing papers that highlight the theoretical underpinnings of nursing and midwifery as it relates to the Africa context.