Knowledge,Attitude and Practice of Informal Caregivers on care Provision to Cancer Patients in Hospice Africa,Uganda,Makindye,Kampala

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: A cancer diagnosis has a significant impact not only on the patients, but also on their family members. Cancer caregivers are the primary source of social and emotional support for patients and play a major role in how well patients manage their illness however due to little knowledge about palliative care, cancer care provision stands a burden and possess a challenge to them associated with stress to cope with the unanticipated event of having close relative with a debilitating condition therefore this research was aimed at assessing knowledge, attitude and practice of informal caregivers on provision of cancer care in hospice, Uganda in Kampala district. Methods: A cross sectional study design was used to gather information on knowledge, attitudes and practice on menstruation between the months of September and October 2018. Results: Samples of 103 respondents were interviewed and out of those 68% had ever provided cancer care. Conclusion: This study found out that there is there is an increased prevalence of people practicing cancer care to cancer patients. Thus, gaps in care givers’ knowledge and practice established are controllable and avoidable. The concerned stakeholders are therefore informed about the caregivers’ needs so that positive measures may be put in place to promote a positive attitude and good practice of cancer care among informal care givers. Recommendation: Government intervention should be directed towards the physical, spiritual and mental well-being of informal cancer giver.