• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.209-215
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• 2013

Objectives: Terminal cancer patients and their caregivers often experience traumatic stress and need many types of assistance. In the present study we interviewed terminally ill cancer patients and caregivers to determine how much burden they experienced and to find out what factors are most important for satisfaction. Design: We constructed a questionnaire including overall care burden and needs experienced, and administered it to 659 terminal cancer patients and 659 important caregivers at 11 university hospitals and 1 national cancer center in Korea. Results: Finally, 481 terminal cancer patients and 381 caregivers completed the questionnaire. Care burden was not insubstantial in both and the caregiver group felt more burden than the patient group (P<0.001). While the patient group needed financial support most (39.0%), the caregiver group placed greatest emphasis on discussion about further treatment plans (44.8%). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses showed that in the patient group, patient's health status (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.16-3.56) and burden (OR, 2.82; 95%CI, 1.76-4.50) influenced satisfaction about overall care, while in the caregiver group, high education level (OR, 1.84; 95%CI, 1.76-4.50), burden (OR, 2.94; 95%CI, 1.75-4.93) and good family function (OR, 1.94; 95%CI, 1.24-3.04) were important. Conclusions: Our study showed that burden was great in both terminal cancer patients and their caregivers and was perceived to be more severe by caregivers. Our study also showed that burden was the factor most predicting satisfaction about overall care in both groups.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.373-379
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• 2013

Background: Although caregiving to patients with terminal illness is known to be a stressful burden to family members, little attention has been focused on work-related problems. We aimed to investigate employment status and work-related difficulties of family caregivers of terminal cancer patients, comparing with the general population. Methods: Using structured questionnaires, we assessed family caregivers of 481 cancer patients determined by physicians to be terminally ill, from 11 university hospitals and the National Cancer Center in Korea. Results: Among 381 family caregivers of terminal cancer patients (response rate, 87.6%), 169 (43.9%) were not working before cancer diagnosis, but currently 233 (63.7%) were not working. Compared with the general population (36.5%), the percentage of not working among the family caregivers was higher (OR=2.39; 95%CI=1.73-3.29). A major reason for not working was to provide assistance to the patients (71.6%). 40.6% of those who continued working and 32.3% of those who not working family members reported extreme fatigue. Caregivers of old age, those who were female, those with a lower household income, and those caring for patients with a low performance status were not working at a more significant rate. Conclusion: Family caregivers of terminal cancer patients suffer job loss and severe work-related difficulties, probably due to caregiving itself and to fatigue. We need to develop supportive programs to overcome the burden of caregivers of the terminally ill.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.61-69
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• 2016

목적: 말기암환자 가족 간병인의 간병 부담을 줄이는 것은 가족뿐 아니라 환자를 위해서도 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 말기암환자 가족 간병인의 간병 부담과 관련된 요인에 대해 살펴보았다. 방법: 국내 7개 기관의 완화의료병동에서 입원치료를 받는 말기암환자의 가족 간병인 289명의 자료를 분석하였다. 간병인이 느끼는 주관적 간병 부담은 암환자 가족 돌봄 경험 평가도구를 사용하였고, 5가지 차원에서 단계적 변수 선정을 사용한 로지스틱 회귀 모형을 통해 유의한 인자를 확인하였다. 결과: 간병부담의 각 차원에서 다양한 인자들과의 관련성이 확인되었다. 감정적 요인은 가장 폭넓은 영향을 미쳤는데, 감정적 스트레스를 가진 군은 그렇지 않은 군에 비해, 생활패턴이 변할 가능성이 2.54배(95% confidence interval, 1.29~5.02), 가족의 협조가 부족할 가능성이 2.27배(1.04~4.97), 그리고 신체적 부담이 커질 가능성이 5.44배(2.50~11.88)였다. 가족기능은 가족의 협조부족을 매우 잘 반영하였으며, 심한 가족기능 장애를 보일 경우 경제적 부담과도 관련이 있었다. 종교를 가진 군과 동반질환이 없는 군에서 오히려 간병 부담이 더 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 간병기간과 하루 중 간병시간은 생활패턴의 변화와 신체적 부담을 유의하게 예측하였다. 직업을 가지고 있거나, 사회적 지지가 부족하거나, 자주 방문하지 못하는 가족 간병인은 낮은 자아 존중감을 보였다. 결론: 본 연구 결과에 의하면, 가족 간병인의 간병 부담을 파악하기 위해서는 그들의 정서상태와 가족기능을 파악하는 것이 도움이 되며, 사회적 지지체계를 포함하여 경제적 부담을 완화시키는 노력이 필요하겠다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.198-203
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• 2022

Purpose: To grasp public opinion accurately, we conducted an opinion poll on beliefs and attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Methods: A randomized telephone survey ensuring a representative sample was conducted, 1,007 participants aged 18 years or older (response rate, 9.5%). Results: The main results are as follows: i) 61.1% of participants thought that the current social support system for terminally ill patients and their families is insufficient; ii) 60% of participants did not recognize the term "hospice and palliative care"; iii) 81.7% of participants would not like to receive life-sustaining treatment if there is no possibility of recovery; iv) 58.4% of participants would like to receive hospice and palliative care if they are diagnosed with a terminal illness; v) the priorities for dignified dying were preparing a support system to reduce the burden of care (28.6%), economic support including reduction of medical expenses (26.7%), expansion of hospice and palliative care services (25.4%), and legalization of PAS (13.6%); and vi) 58.3% of participants agreed that the expansion of hospice and palliative care should precede the legalization of PAS. Conclusion: Koreans currently want other efforts, including expansion of hospice and palliative care services, instead of the legalization of PAS.