Empowerment Process in Family Caregivers of Patients with Cancer: A Grounded Theory Study

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer in addition to the patient affects the family members and the family encounters with many problems. Therefore, solutions are needed to reach the balance in family. Nowadays, the survival rate of cancer patients has increased and these patients need longer care after discharge from hospital. But how families are empowered to care these patients is not clear. As the phenomenon of empowerment is interactive, social and cultural-related, and there is not enough knowledge in this regard; therefore, the present study was conducted to explain the process of forming the empowerment of family members caring patients with cancer. Methods: The present study was conducted with a theoretical approach in years 2015-2017. The main participants of this study were the family members who cared the patient. Participants were selected from Shahid Ghazi Research Center, the main referral center for cancer patients in the north-west of Iran. The method of selecting participants was purposeful sampling and it was continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The main tool for collecting data was comprehensive and unstructured interviews. A total of 27 interviews were conducted with 23 participants and data were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss (2008) method. Findings: Data analysis showed that the main concern is "Psychological-cognitive-care incapability". The underlying factors that lead to major concerns among participants include the "cancer crisis in the family", as well as "family abandonment in the health care system and society". The core category of this study is "Survival-based self-reliance", which has been done by using strategies such as the use of religious beliefs and spirituality, hopefulness, self-consolation, self-awareness, physical and compassionate care. The outcomes were "gradual and continuous improvement of caregivers" and "decreased quality of life in caregivers". Conclusions: The findings showed that family members lacked the readiness to encounter and care the patient with cancer, so they used psychological, cognitive and caring self-help strategies with different strategies. The results of this study can be used by family caregivers. It will also provide a framework for guidance to nurses and nursing managers in order to be able to pay attention to family members in the care system due to existing barriers and deficiencies, and try to facilitate the process of empowerment among family caregivers.