Transition from Acute Treatment to Survivorship: Exploring the Psychosocial Adjustments of Chinese Parents of Children with Cancer or Hematological Disorders

Nelson Chun Yiu Yeung, Ka Chun Cheung, Ho Cheung Chau, Alex Wing Kwan Leung, Chi Kong Li, Teddy Tai Ning Lam, Ho Yu Cheng and Yin Ting Cheung
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Nelson Chun Yiu Yeung: Faculty of Medicine, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Ka Chun Cheung: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Ho Cheung Chau: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Alex Wing Kwan Leung: Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, Hong Kong
Chi Kong Li: Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, Hong Kong
Teddy Tai Ning Lam: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Ho Yu Cheng: Faculty of Medicine, Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Yin Ting Cheung: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Objectives: Parents of children diagnosed with critical illnesses face multiple challenges during their caregiving experience. However, relevant studies have been limited in the Chinese context. Guided by the stress and coping model, we conducted a qualitative study to identify the stressors, coping strategies, and adjustment experiences of Hong Kong parents of children with cancer or hematological disorders. Methods: We recruited 15 parents of children with cancer or hematological disorders requiring bone marrow transplantation and were currently >2 years post-treatment. They participated in a 30-min semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was performed using the grounded theory approach. Results: The stressors reported by parents included a high caregiving burden during their children’s diagnosis and treatment stages. The fear of recurrence, the need for information, and concerns about late effects were also common among the parents during their children’s transition/survivorship stage. To cope with these stressors, the parents commonly used problem-focused (e.g., seeking help from professionals and support groups) and emotion-focused (e.g., behavioral distractions, venting, and crying) strategies. Despite these stressors, parents reported positive changes through the caregiving experience, such as improved family relationships, developing health-protective habits, and the reprioritization of different aspects of life. Conclusions: Parents encounter different stressors during the cancer care continuum. Using different coping strategies, parents experience positive changes amidst caregiving. Future studies should explore culturally relevant adaptive coping strategies to enhance parents’ psychosocial adjustment.

Keywords: caregiving; parents; childhood cancer; stress and coping; transition; survivorship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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