Characteristics and Social Support Needs Predicting Anticipatory Grief in the Spouses of Patients with Cancer at the End of Life

Abstract

Background: Medical staff provide care to spouses of terminal cancer pa-tients through trial and error by meeting their various support needs and spousal factors regarding their anticipatory grief. Studies on the association between spousal characteristics and anticipatory grief have been inconclusive; additionally, there has been insufficient research on support needs for antic-ipatory grief of spouses. This study aimed to explore the spousal characteris-tics and social support needs predicting anticipatory grief in spouses of pa-tients with cancer at the end of life. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Eligible spouses (n = 102) completed a self-report questionnaire in two hospitals with palliative care units in Japan. The questionnaire included de-mographic information, a tool assessing social support needs of spouses, and the Anticipatory Grief Scale for Family Caregivers. Results: Simple regression analyses indicated that patient age, chemotherapy, no treatment, ECOG PS3, children aged under 20 years, total score of 鈥渟ocial support needs regarding the disease and treatment of the patients鈥?and subscale scores (鈥渕edical con-dition and cure,鈥?鈥渄aily life and social support,鈥?and 鈥渋ntimacy and employ-ment鈥?, and total score of 鈥渟ocial support needs of the spouses鈥?and subscale scores (鈥渇amily psychological issues and social support鈥?and 鈥渋ntimacy, em-ployment, and society鈥? were significant variables (all p < 0.05) for the mul-tiple regression analysis. Multiple regression analyses revealed that 鈥渃hemo-therapy鈥?and 鈥渟ocial support needs of the spouses鈥?in Model 1, and 鈥渇amily psychological issues and social support鈥?in Model 2 significantly predicted anticipatory grief (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients having no experience of 鈥渃hemotherapy鈥?and higher 鈥渟ocial support needs of the spouses鈥?in Model 1, and greater spousal needs of 鈥渇amily psychological issues and social support鈥?in Model 2 were significant predictors of severe anticipatory grief. Medical staff should pay attention to these risk factors that predict anticipatory grief amo