Pediatr. praxi. 2017;18(1):67-70 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2017.078

The needs of children with cancer – A view from the perspective of the children and the parents

Mgr. Andrea Filová, PhDr., Lucie Sikorová, Ph.D.

Ústav ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence, Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě, Ostrava – Zábřeh

Infantile oncological illnesses significantly modify the needs of children, the preference of the individual needs as well as their

fulfillment.

The aim of our analysis was the identification of the needs of ontological ill children including their saturation/fulfillment and the

perception of these needs through the eyes of parents with ontological ill children.

The research group consisted of 50 children and 70 parents, who were hospitalized or present at the outpatients’ department in

selected health care institutions of the Olomouc region without a concretization of the given facility. In addition, the group consisted

of parents and children, who are united in the fond Šance onkoláčkům (Give ontological ill children a chance). The survey

was conducted with a non-standardized questionnaire, which mapped the biological, psychosocial and spiritual needs. For the

statistical evaluation, we used a median text and paramedic tests – the Chi-squared test, Fischer’s exact test and the Wilcoxon

rank text for two selections.

In our research, we have found insufficiencies in the identification and saturation of the needs of children with ontological illnesses

in all subdomains of needs. The parents and the children have different views from their perspective of preference and saturation

of the particular needs. The results should lead to an improvement in the quality of the health care and mainly to the satisfaction

of the needs of ontological children, which are according to our research lacking.

Keywords: children, parents, cancer, needs

Received: February 1, 2019; Accepted: March 27, 2019; Prepublished online: March 27, 2019; Published: April 4, 2017  Show citation