IntroductionParents’ caring responsibilities lead to imbalances in roles, functions, and emotions, confronting them with new needs that, if left unaddressed, have adverse consequences for the lives of all family members. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the significant unmet needs of the mothers of the children with cancer.Materials and methodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran in 2019–2020 on 215 mothers of the children with cancer visiting the hospitals affiliated with medical universities. The study population was selected through convenience (...) sampling method and according to the inclusion criteria. The FIN questionnaire consisting of two subscales, FIN-Import and FIN-Fulfillment, with 40 items, was used to collect data.ResultsThe mean age of the mothers participating in the study was 34.77 ± 7.91 years, and the mean age of the children with cancer was 9.77 ± 14.37 years. The mean scores of FIN-Import and FIN-Fulfillment were 92.88 ± 7.97 and 70.82 ± 17.89, respectively. The phrase “To know the facts concerning my child’s prognosis” with 23%, and the phrase “To be told about the people who could help with problems” with 22.8% were the most common unmet needs reported by the parents.ConclusionThe present study indicated that caring for a child with cancer had confronted mothers with new needs to be met; however, not all of these needs had been satisfied. Awareness about the unmet needs of these mothers and planning to manage those needs can lay the groundwork to improve their health. (shrink)

IntroductionMaking appropriate plans for the provision of hospice care is considered a perceived need in the Iranian health system. The current study aimed to develop a model for establishing hospice care delivery system for the adult patients with cancer.Materials and MethodsThis study is part of a larger study that has been done in four phases. This Health System Policy Research utilized a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach. At the first phase, a qualitative study was conducted which explained the care needs and the (...) requirements for establishing this system from the stakeholders’ perspective. The second phase aimed to examine the current situation of hospice care delivery in Iran and identify and determine the similarities and differences among them in the selected countries. At the third phase, the main areas of the model and the related indicators were extracted and prioritized by consulting with experts. Then the model was formulated. At the fourth phase, the proposed model was validated and finalized in terms of importance, scientific acceptability, and feasibility.ResultsBased on the developed model the first and the most important step in establishing the hospice care delivery system is laying the groundwork in the health system which requires focusing on policymaking. It is necessary to establish hospice centers and implement public awareness raising programs, train, and supply expert manpower, strengthen family physician and referral process, formulate clinical guidelines, encourage the private sector and NGOs.) to invest, develop end-of-life and hospice care service packages, and create quality care indicators. The proposed model had moderate feasibility.ConclusionThis model was developed based on the current Iranian healthcare structure and the needs of terminally ill cancer patients. It can be used as a model tailored to the current state of the health system and community in Iran. It is suggested to use this model as a pilot at the regional level. (shrink)

BackgroundMeasuring the outcomes of palliative care plays an important role to improve the quality, efficiency, and availability of these services in patients with cancer. Using valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate tools has a considerable role to measure these outcomes. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the translated version of the Palliative care Outcome Scale.MethodsThis methodological study was conducted in two outpatient clinics related to Shohada Tajrish and Baqiyatallah hospitals in Tehran in 2019–2020. The translation was done using (...) the Forward-Backward approach after gaining permission from the developer. Face validity was tested with 10 patients with cancer through cognitive interviewing, as well as content validity with four experts. Construct validity was performed by exploratory factor analysis and confirmation. To assess the reliability, internal consistency was assessed by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and relative stability was assessed using the interclass correlation coefficient. Furthermore, interpretability and ceiling and floor effects were assessed.ResultsA total of 353 patients with cancer under palliative care were included in the study. Then, three psychological, physical, and social factors with a cumulative variance of 54.34% were extracted in exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model has a good fit of information. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for scale was 0.719. Furthermore, the ICC was 0.812. The scale was interpretable, and ceiling and floor effects were 0%.ConclusionPersian version of the POS was evaluated as a valid and reliable tool. Therefore, it can be used by the clinician to monitor the consequences of palliative care in Iranian cancer patients. (shrink)