Wellbeing Of Informal Caregivers Of Cancer Patients At Uganda Cancer InstituteWellbeing Of Informal Caregivers Of Cancer Patients At Uganda Cancer Institute

Abstract

Background: Informal caregivers of cancer patients play a key role and provide essential support to cancer patients along the illness trajectory. However, this might put a big burden on the lives and wellbeing of these caregivers.

Objectives: This study was conducted among informal caregivers of cancer patients at Uganda Cancer Institute to explore their wellbeing as they take care of their relatives suffering from cancer.

Methods: A total of twenty informal caregivers participated in the study. Data was collected through in-depth interviews (eight) and focused group discussions (one for male and the other for female caregivers, each having six participants).

Results: Six sub themes emerged from the analysis of data: ―negative wellbeing‖, ―activities of daily living‖, ―treatment support‖, ―financial constraints‖, ―fears and concerns‖ and ―self- rejuvenation‖. The sub themes emerged from ten categories of: ―full time job‖, ―challenging role‖, ―patient feeding‖, ―patient bathing‖, ―medicine giving‖, ―lost employment‖, ―inability to purchase medicine‖, ―patient might die‖, ―spiritual renewal‖, and ―keeping busy‖.

Conclusion: Informal caregivers of cancer patients at UCI experience negative wellbeing, attributable to the care giving job being a full-time job and being a challenging role, and also because of financial constraints as well as the fear that the patient might die. However, they cope by listening nourishing message and music.

Recommendations: Government and the Uganda Cancer Institute should consider improving the wellbeing of informal caregivers of cancer patients for example through extending to them financial and emotion support activities.