Sources of Support for Primary Home Based Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients From AIC Kijabe Hospital, Kiambu County

Abstract

Eighty percent of cancer cases in Kenya present at advanced stages, when little curative care can be done and palliative care is their best option of care. Majority of the end of life care in Kenya is done in the home setting, yet little is known about the caregiver’s lived experiences and their support systems. A qualitative study was conducted to explore this. A purposive sampling method was used to identify and recruit twelve participants from the Kijabe Palliative clinic database. Data was collected in patient’s homes through in-depth interviews and direct observation. A thematic analytic method was used to analyze the data. This paper shall discuss the four main themes that emerged: family members, social and community networks, religious institutions and healthcare providers.