Availability of informal caregivers for palliative care patients with cancer: Is there a difference between higher- and lower-income settings

Abstract

Objective:Family caregivers are the default caring personnel for terminal cancer patients. The characteristics, demographics, distribution, psychological burden, and socioeconomic standards differ between high- and low-income countries. We aimed to assess those factors and their direct reflection on both the patient and the caregiver.Patients and Methods:This is a comparative cross-sectional study for terminal cancer patients in the palliative care unit between the United Kingdom (UK) as a high-income community and Egypt as a low-income community. We assessed the different characteristics, demographics, living place, the degree of relevance, and the availability of caregivers.Results:We have recruited 216 patients from the UK and 117 patients from Egypt. Informal caregivers were available in 74.5% and 92.3% for these patients with a mean age of 71.5 (standard deviation [SD] 16) years and 50.9 (SD 15.18) years, respectively. There has been a statistically significant difference between the two countries’ caregivers in being married, family, and living in the same household (P < 0.0001).Conclusion:Low-income countries are more common to have an informal caregiver who is a family member of different degree of relevance. Caregivers in low-income settings tend to be younger, of the female gender, married, and living in the same household than in high-income ones.

Analysis of Quality of Life and Nutritional Status in Elderly Patients with Dysphagia in Order to Prevent Hospital Admissions in a COVID-19 Pandemic

“…On further adding the situation of the current COVID-19 pandemic, increased overload could result, as measured by the ZQ. The main role of women as informal caregivers coincides with the observations of Xiong et al [ 58 ] and Abdel-Malek et al [ 59 ]. Due to the current pandemic situation and the overloading of primary-care level facilities, follow-up of high-risk dependent patients has been reduced, as has support for the caregiver.…”

Understanding Family Members in the Palliative Phases of Their Loved Ones

“…As a reflection of the cultural structure in Turkey, women generally take on the caregiver role within the family. Therefore, this is an expected finding and is consistent with the literature 1,9,14-21 . As the development process in palliative care practices continues in Turkey, only patients received palliative care.…”

The role, impact, and support of informal caregivers in the delivery of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer: A multi-country qualitative study

“…Study participants were family members with a mean age of 37 years, mirroring similar characteristics found for informal caregivers in other low resource settings. 33 While research has begun to explore determinants of caregiver burden, 34 very little research has been undertaken to determine specific caregiver needs in advanced cancer in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Participants in our study were balancing multiple priorities, often to their own detriment, worsened by poverty.…”