How Mothers Convey the Information of Disease and Treatment to their Children with Cancer

• Main Authors: pao-ai liu, 劉寶愛
• Other Authors: 呂民璿
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2001
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/97756013007762564816

碩士 === 東海大學 === 社會工作學系 === 89 === It is a long and hardship treatment for a child with cancer, and therefore both parents and the child have to face lots of problems aroused by the treatment process. Nowadays, the Even Free Survival in children with cancer is rising; that means those ill children might be able to live longer than past years. Such information encourages the medical workers to be willing to discuss the disease with the family. The public also shows their admiration to those children who endeavor themselves to fight against their illness. Thus, the necessity and the advantages of “conveying disease information” attract people’s attention. The main person who takes cares of the ill child is always the mother. In order to understand what the mother gets through regarding “conveying disease information,” the researcher attempts to examine the three stages: thinking, decision-making, and implementation, which occurred during the treatment process. The quantitative research is made to analyze the collection of the findings that the researcher has through the practical observation on inpatients, and personal interviews with thirteen mothers whose children have cancer. Generally speaking, “conveying the information of disease and treatment” includes three processes according to time’s change: first, the first thought the mother has from the time the information was acknowledged, second, decision-making, and third, the final action. The initial concept the mother has for “cancer” influences ways of taking care of the child and the treatment process, and moreover it affects the process of conveying the disease information to the child. There is not only one reason that explains the mother to be the main person to take care of the patient. This decision is made when she understands her role in the whole family, and it is also the starting point of the long treatment. Before the mother decides to convey the disease information to the child, different opinions will be presented by herself and all the people around her, including the child, other patients’ family, the medical workers, and the media. As to convey the disease information, the mother may tell the child personally or pass the information to the child through her family members, medical workers, other patients’ parents or the media. The different attitude to convey the information includes giving encouragement and support, begging, and threatening the patient. Besides, by collecting the contents of “conveying disease information”, the researcher sums up seven methods the mother applies to explain the situation to the child: presenting logical and rational explanations, using parables, giving encouragement, explaining with fatalistic theories, denying and hiding the information, telling the slight effect of the disease and finally, threatening the child. During the process, the mother will react differently to the surroundings. She may try to explain the situation to the child, encourage him to face the problem or even to influence others’ opinions about the disease or the patients. The mother also learned to be ready to modify her plans concerning conveying the disease information, and to adjust her action according to time’s change. On one hand, the process of conveying disease information consists of the medium, its content, method, reaction and expectation. On the other hand, from time to time, the mother improves her understanding about the disease, and accomplishes certain preparation to the situation for herself. She now is more experienced to make decisions, which encourage her to be more prepared in making the final action and to develop and implement her future plans. In this way, the plans involve past, present and future, and they affect one another from time to time. Finally, the transitions of different processes for conveying the information of disease and treatment are formed. I think we need to provide sufficient information to the children with cancer and their family, to develop the human resource in order to give support and satisfaction to the patients and their family through the individual or team work. Besides, the medical team should provide human care and help the patients and their family to face the changes and assist them to grow. Finally, the positive reaction to the disease and life education should be given to the public.