Grief process of the spouses of patients with advanced cancer : A longitudinal study

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K11663
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Hisamatsu Misako 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 助教 (10512600)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 堤 由美子 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 教授 (30207419) ; 新地 洋之 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 教授 (60284874) ; 荒井 春生 修文大学, 看護学部, 教授 (60406246)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 緩和的化学療法 / 予期悲嘆 / 悲嘆 / 家族

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to clarify the experiences of the spouses of patients with advanced cancer from the start of treatment of the patients until after their death. We conducted a semi-structural interview with the spouse of the patient undergoing palliative chemotherapy and the spouses of deceased patients and analyzed qualitatively inductively.
Spouses were expecting the effects of palliative chemotherapy. After the hospital’s recommendation for palliative chemotherapy discontinuation, the spouses had to chagrin over having to discontinue palliative chemotherapy and experienced facing the unavoidable reality of bereavement. As a characteristic of Japanese spouses, there were difficulties in expressing emotions and making decisions to stop treatment. The experience before the spouse's bereavement influenced after the bereavement.
It is necessary for nurses to support patients and their families to express their emotions and to make decisions from an early stage of palliative chemotherapy.

Free Research Field

精神看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、緩和的化学療法を受けているがん患者の家族のゆらぎが予期悲嘆や悲嘆に影響していることが明らかとなり、看護師が、いかに治療中に患者・家族の感情表出や意思決定、予期悲嘆の体験を支えるかが重要であることが示唆された。
この研究成果は、家族の過度のストレスや精神的苦痛を与える予期悲嘆の予防、さらには祝雑性悲嘆の予防、終末期の患者・家族理解および看護師の技術向上に向けて貴重な知見であり、医療・福祉に寄与すると考える。