Effects of Structured Family Meetings on Psychological Distress in Family Caregivers of End-of-Life Cancer Patients
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Abstract
Background: Structured family meetings reduce psychological distress in family caregivers of palliative patients with a prognosis longer than one week, but studies of caregivers of patients with end-of-life cancer within one week are limited. This study examined the effect of structured family meetings on caregivers of end-of-life cancer patients after the meeting and after one week.
Design: Prospective observational cohort (one-group pre-and-post assessment)
Methods: A study was conducted on 37 family caregivers of hospitalized cancer patients with PPS≤30. Psychological distress, using the Thai General Health Questionnaires-12, was measured immediately after participating in a structured family meeting and after one week compared to before the process. Data were analyzed using multilevel Gaussian regression, showing the difference in mean scores (Adjusted β-coefficients) and 95% confidence intervals.
Results: The study found that the mean difference in psychological distress scores decreased immediately after the family meetings by 4.03 points (95%CI: -6.06, -1.99) and at one week by 4.84 points (95%CI: -7.04, -2.66). In the adjusted analysis, controlling for confounders such as the caregiver’s age and sex, the findings showed that the mean score decreased by 4.03 points (95%CI: -6.07, -1.98) immediately after the meetings and decreased by 5.00 points at one week (95%CI: -7.27, -2.82).
Conclusions: Structured family meetings reduce psychological distress in family caregivers of end-of-life cancer patients. If the follow-up continues for more than one week, different changes may be found. This is important for proper planning of continuing care
Keywords: structured family meeting, end-of-life cancer, psychological distress
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