Association Between Bereaved Families' Sense of Security and Their Experience of Death in Cancer Patients: Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

作者：Igarashi Ayumi^*; Miyashita Mitsunori; Morita Tatsuya; Akizuki Nobuya; Akiyama Miki; Shirahige Yutaka; Sato Kazuki; Yamamoto Mitani Noriko; Eguchi Kenji

来源：Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2016, 51(5): 926-932.

DOI：10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.11.015

• Sense of security
• end-of-life care
• quality of care
• regional health care system
• experience of bereaved family

Context. The sense of security scale was developed to indicate care quality within the community. Bereaved families have perspective to evaluate the quality of the care system.
Objectives. The aim was to examine associations between end-of-life care and sense of security regarding regional cancer care among bereaved families.
Methods. A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted with families of cancer patients who died in regional areas of Japan.
Results. A total of 1046 family caregivers of patients responded to surveys (effective response rate of 65%). In multiple regression analyses, the families' higher age (P < 0.001), home death (P = 0.039), better health status of the family at patients' end of life (P = 0.016), lower caregiving burden (P < 0.001), and elements of perceived good patient death, including being free from physical distress (P < 0.001), trusting the physician (P < 0.001), living in calm circumstances (P = 0.042), and feeling that one's life was fulfilling (P = 0.035), were associated with a higher sense of security.
Conclusion. Quality of death and lower burden on family caregivers were associated with families' sense of security. This suggests strategies for improving care quality for each patient to improve the sense of security.

• 出版日期2016-5