The findings of this study can help healthcare teams break the bad news of cancer diagnosis in a more effective, satisfactory, and culture-based manner for patients and their families.
Over the last several years, the number of international students attending colleges and universities in Malaysia has increased substantially. While the number of international students pursuing undergraduate and post graduate studies in Malaysian higher education institutions has increased, it is curious that some limitations and challenges exist to these students in their academic life. The main objective of this case study was to explore the challenges of Iranian students, as the largest group of international students in Malaysian higher education institutions. The research question formed in this study was: What challenges and difficulties do Iranian students face in Malaysian higher education institutions? Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 21 Iranian postgraduate students pursuing their studies in both Malaysian public and private universities. Consistent with the result of previous studies, the following challenges were found: financial matters, visa, culture and insurance. The findings of the current study have useful implications for policy makers and managing bodies of educational institutions that seek to attract international students.
Objectives:
Cancer affects both patients and their families. Sometimes, the effects of cancer on families are greater than its effects on patients. Family caregivers play significant roles in care for patients with cancer. Nonetheless, the data on the challenges they face in caregiving are limited. The present study explored the perspectives of patients with gastric cancer (GC), their family caregivers, and healthcare providers regarding family caregivers’ challenges in caregiving to patients with GC.
Materials and Methods:
This descriptive exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2019–2020. Six GC patients, six family caregivers, three physicians, and five nurses took part for a total of twenty participants. Purposive sampling was performed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews and continued up to data saturation. Conventional content analysis was used for data analysis.
Results:
Caregivers’ challenges in caregiving to patients with GC were grouped into five main categories, namely, lengthy process of GC diagnosis, delivery of bad news, management of physical symptoms, altered relationships, and psychological consequences, and 14 subcategories.
Conclusion:
Educating the public about the primary symptoms of GC and the importance of timely seeking medical care as well as using culturally appropriate protocols for delivering bad news is recommended. Empowering family caregivers for the effective management of GC symptoms and caregiving-related challenges are also recommended to reduce their caregiver burden.
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