Friday, July 11, 2003

This presentation is part of : Diversity in the Elderly

Families and Hospitalized Elders with Cancer in China: A Typology of Family Care Actions

Hong Li, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor1, Yuhen Lu, BS, Staff nurse2, Ding Yue, BS, Head nurse2, Ren Hui, BS, Staff nurse2, Jinfang Zhang, BS, Head nurse2, Xiaolei Huang, BS, Head nurse2, and Li Zhang, BS, Head nurse2. (1) School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA, (2) Beijing Cancer Hospital, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing, China
Learning Objective #1: Understand the importance of family care for hospitalized elders with cancer in China
Learning Objective #2: Identify six categories of family care actions

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of family care for hospitalized elders with cancer in Chinese culture. The objective is to derive a typology of family care for hospitalized elders with Cancer in China from perceptions of family caregivers, elderly patients, and nurses. Design: A qualitative design was used to study family care for hospitalized elders. Population, Sample, Setting, Years: Purposeful sampling was used and included a total of 21participants including 7 elderly patients, 7 their family caregivers and 7 nurses. Interviews and participate observations were used to study the elderly patients with cancer, their family caregivers and nurses about their experiences and perceptions of family participation in the hospital care for elders at Peking University Cancer Hospital in China in 2001-2002. Qualitative analysis based on Loftland and Loftland’s (1995) approach was used for data analysis. Findings: A typology derived identifies what family caregivers say or do for their hospitalized older relatives with cancer in China. Six major categories of family care actions were identified: (1) psychological and emotional support, (2) food and nutritional care, (3) comfort care, (4) daily activity and safety care, (5) treatment related care, and (6) financial aspect and transitional care. Conclusion: Analysis revealed six categories of caregiving within the concept of family care actions for hospitalized elders with cancer in China. Findings suggested that family participation is helpful to elderly cancer patients, their family caregivers and nurses. Implications. This typology suggests a shift of research in this area from its current focus on family needs to a view of family caregivers as partners with the health care team. By knowing the patterns of family care actions, nurses and health providers will be able to improve the way they work together with families in hospital settings in China.

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Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003