When death appears best for the child with severe malignancy: a nationwide parental follow-up

• BACKGROUND: Loss of a child to malignancy is associated with long-term morbidity among surviving parents. This study aims to identify particular sources of stress among parents of children with severe malignancy. METHODS: We attempted to contact all parents in Sweden who lost a child to cancer between 1992 and 1997. Some 449 parents answered an anonymous questionnaire, including a question regarding whether they ever thought that death would be best for the child with severe malignancy. RESULTS: Mothers whose children were unable to communicate during their last week of life were more likely to think that death would be best for the child (relative risk (RR): 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-2.1). Fathers whose children faced six years or more with malignancy were more likely to think that death would be best for their child (RR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.3-3.5). CONCLUSIONS: The inability of the child with severe malignancy to communicate increases the likelihood of mothers thinking that death would be best for the child, while longer duration of the child's illness increases the occurrence of this thought among fathers.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Övrig annan medicin och hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Other Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Attitude to Death

Child

Communication

Fathers/psychology

Female

Follow-Up Studies

Humans

Male

Mothers/psychology

Neoplasms/*psychology

Palliative Care

Parent-Child Relations

Quality of Life

Stress

Psychological

Sweden

Terminally Ill/*psychology

Time Factors

End-of-life

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)