Factors Related to Family Caregivers’ Readiness for the Hospital Discharge of Advanced Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: Many family caregivers of advanced cancer patients worry about being unable to provide in-home care and delay the discharge. Little is known about the influencing factors of discharge readiness. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of family caregivers’ readiness, used a cross-sectional survey, and enrolled 123 sets of advanced cancer patients and family caregivers using convenience sampling from four oncology wards in a medical centre in northern Taiwan. A self-developed five-point Likert questionnaire, the “Discharge Care Assessment Scale”, surveyed the family caregivers’ difficulties with providing in-home care. Results: The study showed that the discharge readiness of family caregivers affects whether patients can be discharged home. Moreover, the influencing factors of family caregivers’ discharge readiness were the patient’s physical activity performance status and expressed discharge willingness; the presence of someone to assist family caregivers with in-home care; and the difficulties of in-home care. The best prediction model accuracy was78.0%, and the Nagelkerke R2 was 0.52. Conclusion: Discharge planning should start at the point of admission data collection, with the influencing factors of family caregivers’ discharge readiness. It is essential to help patients increase the likelihood of being discharged home.

Readiness for hospital discharge perceived by caregivers of patients with traumatic brain injury: A cross-sectional study

“…However, the level of discharge preparedness can vary based on the nurse’s experience and background. A previous study identified factors associated with caregivers’ discharge readiness, such as the patient’s physical activity and discharge preparation, the presence of someone to help, and the difficulty of care (Huang et al, 2022 ). Similar findings were observed in another study, highlighting factors such as patient functional status, disease and symptom status, connections to community resources/support, home safety needs, and environmental and care coordination influencing caregiver discharge readiness (OConnor et al, 2021 ).…”

Correlation Between Illness Uncertainty in Caregivers of Patients with Liver Cancer, Their Coping Styles, and Quality of Life

“…This uncertainty can markedly affect caregivers' quality of life. [6][7][8][9] The coping style of family caregivers is multifaceted, influencing their response to the challenges they face. Their coping strategies may include problem-solving, seeking social support, positive reframing, and acceptance, among others.…”