Korean J Child Health Nurs.  2005 Apr;11(2):229-239.

The Difficulties for Parents of Children with Terminal Cancer

• Kang KA
• Kim SJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to provide an understanding of the difficulties for facing parents of children with terminal cancer. METHOD: The design of this study was an inductive and descriptive study. Thirty-one parents of children with terminal cancer participated in-depth were interviewed s. C in depth and content analysis was used for analyzing the data.
RESULTS
The main categories in the findings were 'difficulties in coping', 'physical and psychological suffering of children', 'suffering of family', 'bereavement with children', 'economic problems', 'incurable situation', 'preparation of death', 'social isolation', 'coping after a child dies', 'spiritual problems', receiving active treatment', 'informing children of their condition', 'a sense of meaninglessness', 'emotional iunstability', and 'giving up hope'.
CONCLUSION
The main point identified from this result in this study was that parents who have a child with terminal cancer don't never give up the hope of recovery for their child even when the child is in by the terminal stage of their children, even though and they are unwillingly to prepare for their child's death. This is a unique characteristic in the attitude of the families' attitude in child hospice care and differs from that found in adult hospice care. This result can be used as an important guide for nurses to in assessing the parents' needs in the terminal care setting.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Child*
Hope
Hospice Care
Humans
Parents*
Terminal Care
Child Health