Background:The care and treatment of a child with cancer is stressful for parents.Recognizing their challenges and addressing them are important strategies in aiding families cope with cancer therapy.Objectives:To asc...Background:The care and treatment of a child with cancer is stressful for parents.Recognizing their challenges and addressing them are important strategies in aiding families cope with cancer therapy.Objectives:To ascertain the perspectives of parents on childhood cancer therapy and understand their challenges in order to devise effective ways of supporting them.Methods:This qualitative study was conducted between June and November 2018.Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews held with 27 parents whose children were being treated for various cancers at the Paediatric Oncology Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital,Nigeria.Results:Respondents were 19 mothers,2 fathers,and 3 couples.Their children were aged 11 months to 15 years.Majority of respondent knew the diagnosis of their children while few could only name the site of the tumour.While undergoing chemotherapy,refusal to eat,vomiting,fever,pain,and falling of hairs were symptoms parents perceived as most distressing,which also affected them negatively.Treatment related costs drained families’monthly incomes and were considered the major challenge to treatment compliance.Financial support and prayers received were much appreciated and helped them cope better with their child’s therapy.Conclusion:Parents of children with cancer experience various stressors related to treatment.There is need to consistently offer them information regarding the side effects of cancer therapy and best ways of coping with them.They need to be supported in various ways to ensure compliance to their child’s therapy.展开更多
文摘Background:The care and treatment of a child with cancer is stressful for parents.Recognizing their challenges and addressing them are important strategies in aiding families cope with cancer therapy.Objectives:To ascertain the perspectives of parents on childhood cancer therapy and understand their challenges in order to devise effective ways of supporting them.Methods:This qualitative study was conducted between June and November 2018.Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews held with 27 parents whose children were being treated for various cancers at the Paediatric Oncology Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital,Nigeria.Results:Respondents were 19 mothers,2 fathers,and 3 couples.Their children were aged 11 months to 15 years.Majority of respondent knew the diagnosis of their children while few could only name the site of the tumour.While undergoing chemotherapy,refusal to eat,vomiting,fever,pain,and falling of hairs were symptoms parents perceived as most distressing,which also affected them negatively.Treatment related costs drained families’monthly incomes and were considered the major challenge to treatment compliance.Financial support and prayers received were much appreciated and helped them cope better with their child’s therapy.Conclusion:Parents of children with cancer experience various stressors related to treatment.There is need to consistently offer them information regarding the side effects of cancer therapy and best ways of coping with them.They need to be supported in various ways to ensure compliance to their child’s therapy.
