No abstract

Caring for a patient at the end of their life can be highly demanding and becomes a challenge for caregivers. The participants were recruited using a convenience sampling of ten caregivers who provided the most care to an adult with a terminal illness. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the six steps of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings showed that the environmental barriers caregivers had recognized were transportation, insufficient material resources, and remote home facilities. By acknowledging these barriers, healthcare professionals can design and implement therapeutic environments that are clinically relevant toward those most in need.

Measuring quality of life provides information helpful for cancer patients. However, facts about the quality of life and its associated factors among cancer patients in Malaysia are inconclusive. The aim of this review of literature is to evaluate the quality of life of cancer patients and its associated factors. Based on this review of the literature, it identified 24 studies. Associated factors effecting quality of life of cancer patients include socio-demographic, health related, psychological and cancer treatment. In conclusion, there is a need for further research to focus on developing effective interventions to enhance the patients' quality of life.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Quality of life; associated factors; cancer; Malaysia

Caring for a patient at the end of their life can be highly demanding and becomes a challenge for caregivers. The participants were recruited using a convenience sampling of ten caregivers who provided the most care to an adult with a terminal illness. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the six steps of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings showed that the environmental barriers caregivers had recognized were transportation, insufficient material resources, and remote home facilities. By acknowledging these barriers, healthcare professionals can design and implement therapeutic environments that are clinically relevant toward those most in need.

Caring for a patient at the end of their life can be highly demanding and becomes a challenge for caregivers. The participants were recruited using a convenience sampling of ten caregivers who provided the most care to an adult with a terminal illness. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the six steps of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings showed that the environmental barriers caregivers had recognized were transportation, insufficient material resources, and remote home facilities. By acknowledging these barriers, healthcare professionals can design and implement therapeutic environments that are clinically relevant toward those most in need.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies, Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Environmental barriers; terminal illness; adult; caregiver