Caregiver Education and Training: Learning Preferences of Informal Caregivers of Adult Care Recipients

Effectiveness of a palliative care education program for caregivers of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Port Said City: A pre-post quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Emphasizing the pivotal role of caregivers in the cancer care continuum, a program designed to educate caregivers of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy underscores their significance. The palliative care education initiative strives to cultivate a compassionate and effective care environment, benefiting both patients and caregivers. By imparting education, fostering positive attitudes, offering support, encouraging appropriate behaviors, and providing essential resources, the program aims to enhance the overall caregiving experience and contribute to the well-being of those navigating the challenges of cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of a palliative care education program for caregivers of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

METHODS

The research employed a purposive sample comprising 155 caregivers who were actively present with their cancer patients throughout the pre- and post-test phases within a quasi-experimental research design. The study took place at the outpatient oncology center of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Port Said City, Egypt. To gather comprehensive data, 4 instruments were utilized: a demographic questionnaire, a nurse knowledge questionnaire, a scale measuring attitudes toward palliative care, and an assessment of reported practices in palliative care. This methodological approach allowed for a thorough exploration of caregiver perspectives, knowledge, attitudes, and practices within the context of a palliative care education program.

RESULTS

Before the palliative care education program, only 1.3% of caregivers had a good overall level of knowledge about cancer and palliative care; this increased to 40.6% after the program. Similarly, before the palliative care education program, 32.9% of caregivers had a positive overall attitude, which increased to 72.3% after the program. Similarly, 27.1% of caregivers had an overall appropriate palliative care practice during the pre-test phase, which increased to 93.5% after the palliative care education program.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULTS

The palliative care education program significantly improved caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practice scores. It is strongly recommended that caregivers of cancer patients receive continuing education in palliative care. In addition, it is crucial to conduct further research with a larger sample size in different situations in Egypt.

Childhood Cancer Information-Seeking: Findings from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service

The benefits of cancer information-seeking may be particularly salient to individuals impacted by childhood cancer, including patients, caregivers, health professionals, and advocates. The purpose of this study was to explore information-seeking patterns for childhood cancer through the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS), a multi-channel, bilingual resource for cancer information. The study team conducted descriptive analyses on secondary data characterizing 1820 caregivers, health professionals, organizations, and members of the general public who contacted the CIS about childhood cancer between September 2018 and June 2022. Almost 80% of inquiries about childhood cancer were initiated by caregivers, followed by the public, health professionals, and organizations. Although English was the primary language used by individuals to reach the CIS when discussing childhood cancer, there were variations in points of access (i.e., telephone, instant messaging, email, social media) across the four user groups. Most childhood cancer inquiries were about staging and treatment, and the primary cancer sites discussed by CIS users were neurologic or brain, hematologic, and musculoskeletal cancers. Discussion topics included managing and coping with cancer, clinical trials, and treatment side effects. Just over half (54%) of CIS contacts about childhood cancer resulted in a health professional referral. Findings provide direction for the CIS and other public health organizations to deliver, prioritize, and tailor their services to support the information needs of childhood cancer survivors and their families-as well as those who care and advocate for them-who may have a significant need for credible cancer information.

Empowering Patients in the Therapeutic Decision-Making Process: A Glance Into Behçet's Syndrome

Behçet's syndrome (BS) represents a challenging condition, characterized by a variable spectrum of disease profile and associated with a significant limitation of the daily activities as well as a potential negative impact on relationships and psychological status. Considering also the complexity of the therapeutic management of BS, that often includes biological off-label treatments, the participation in the therapeutic decision-making process of the BS patients is essential to ensure the integration of the care process into the life of the patient. For this reason, the empowerment of BS patients represents a crucial need and the present work is aimed at fully exploring all the potential variables implicated in the BS patient empowerment, also highlighting major points to consider and concrete actions to be planned in the immediate future in order to implement a pragmatic facilitation of the patients' empowerment.