On being a caregiver: The experiences of South African family caregivers caring for cancer patients

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to describe the experiences of family caregivers of cancer patients using the public healthcare system in South Africa. We used a qualitative descriptive design and conducted in-depth interviews with 20 purposively selected family caregivers. Data saturation determined the sample size, and qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Three themes arose from the data: emotional responses and feelings towards the cancer diagnosis, fulfilling the role of the caregiver and living and coping with a changed life and a changed person. Caring for a person with cancer was not easy. Participants were overwhelmed with the care responsibilities, which were aggravated by poverty. Some felt emotionally broken and alone in this journey and experienced the rest of their family as uncaring. The lives the participants knew changed and they had to put their own lives on hold and make sacrifices involving their children, work, possible relationships and their normal activities to care for the sick person. For some, the sick person they cared for changed and became a person they did not know. Most participants used religious practices to cope with their situation; however, some used other coping mechanisms, such as recreation and even smoking.

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

“…6 Mostly women take on the caregiving role, usually without prior expertise, and many struggle to balance caregiving responsibilities with their everyday activities, family life, work, and social relationships. 11 Positive consequences of informal caregiving include becoming more focused on priorities in the deeper sense of life and appreciation of life and support from other people. 12 However, psychological distress is common in caregivers, [13][14][15] and often severe caregiver burden spans across physical, psychological, financial, and social domains.…”

“… 6 Mostly women take on the caregiving role, usually without prior expertise, and many struggle to balance caregiving responsibilities with their everyday activities, family life, work, and social relationships. 11 …”

Family Caregivers’ Perspectives of the Economic Burden Imposed through Caring for Family Members with Cancer in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…(25). Although some participants reported to have more than one source of income, it was perceived as not enough, given the high cost of managing cancer (1). Poverty exacerbated the caregiver burden of families that had no constant source of income, this was confirmed in this study as participants reported extreme difficulty in providing adequate care due to the lack of funds to finance care giving resources (1).…”

“…Cancer is one of the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that is increasingly becoming part of the leading public health problems, globally (1). It is estimated that 1 in 4 people in South Africa are affected by cancer, annually, either by having a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer or by personally being diagnosed with cancer (1). Cancer diagnosis has a greater impact on family members than on patients.…”

Living with cancer of the head and neck: A qualitative inquiry into the experiences of South African patients

“…South Africa faces unique challenges in terms of cancer control due to late presentation, high mortality, healthcare provision, knowledge of cancer (Morhason‐Bello et al, ) and poverty (Maree, Moshima, Ngubeni, & Zondo, ). In addition, the public health system, serving approximately 80% of the population, is under tremendous pressure and experiences expanding demands, lack of personnel and finances, and poor administration (Benatar, ).…”