Consistency in terminal wishes between advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers
ZHAO Mengyuan
DU Sisi
WANG Qi
CHEN Zishan
NI Ping
Abstract：Objective To investigate the consistency of terminal wishes between patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers.Methods A total of 85 pairs of cancer patients and their family caregivers treated in a grade-A tertiary hospital in Wuhan between June 2020 and February 2021 were selected.They were surveyed using a general demographic data questionnaire and a terminal wishes questionnaire.Then the consistency of their terminal wishes were analyzed.Results The consistency in six life-sustaining treatments between cancer patients and their family members were 18.82％～41.18％of willingness,3.53％～7.06％of unwillingness and 14.12％～25.88％of not considering,accounting for the Kappa value of 0.169～0.346(P＜0.05),showing a weak consistency.According to the place of death,the consistency of at home,in medical institution and other places 48.24％,11.76％and 1.18％and the Kappa value was 0.248(P＜0.05),showing a weak consistency.When it came to the actual disease information notification,the consistency of willingness and unwillingness was 61.18％and 4.71％,and the Kappa value was 0.127(P＜0.05),displaying a weak consistency.Conclusion Family members'choice of life-sustaining treatment,place of death and disease information notification cannot fully represent the terminal cancer patients'wishes.Medical workers should help cancer patients and family members to communicate effectively,promote their mutual understanding and improve their consistency in terminal wishes.
Keywords：Advanced cancerFamily membersTerminal willEnd-of-life decision-makingConsistencyLife support treatment
Publication Date：2024-01-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 1-5 )