Needs of Family Members of Cancer Patients

摘要

This study was a replication of one conducted by Tringali in 1986. The purpose of this study was to identify the importance of cognitive, emotional, and physical needs to family members of cancer patients. The sample consisted of 28 family members, either spouse or adult children, who accompanied the cancer patient to a clinic in a military hospital in the Northwest. All the cancer patients were in the initial stage of treatment. The family members rated the importance of 53 need statements on a four point Likert-type rating scale. The need statements were divided into cognitive (23), emotional (21), and physical (9) categories. The findings were similar in both studies. In this study, 27 of 53 need statements were rated as most important; in Tringali's study 20 need statements were rated in the same class. The majority of needs in both studies were cognitive followed by emotional needs. Only one physical need in this study was rated as a most important need. Nurses should plan interventions to meet cognitive needs so that family members can function effectively as a source of support for the cancer patient. Keywords: Medical services, Surveys, Theses. (kt)