Impact of Childhood Cancer on the Chinese Family

There is a need for a coordinated and concerted effort to help the families who have a child diagnosed with cancer. Financial assistance needs to be found for more than one-third of the families. Not only should financial assistance be found but the health care delivery system itself must respond to the challenge of childhood cancer. Families who do not begin or continue treatment must be located and urged to follow the treatment plan. More family education must be done as to what cancer is and why prolonged treatment is necessary. Much of the data suggests nursing could be of greater assistance. Compared to nursing in the United States, a critical shortage of nurse positions in hospitals is noted here. Home nursing services have not been apparent in any of the families. An absence of registered nurses in the physician offices is a problem here in Taiwan.The majority of children having pain and not having their pain relieved indicates both nursing and medical personnel need to assess the child's comfort level more carefully. There needs to be an upgrading of care so that a child who is dying receives both nursing and medical care that relieves the pain and other symptoms. A way to control pain must be found and a system developed so that pain can be relieved in the hospital and also at home.There is an urgent need for public education as well as continued education for health care personnel of the symptoms suggestive of childhood cancer so that early diagnosis can be made, hopefully leading to a decrease in the number of misdiagnosis as well as a decrease in the time between the beginning of symptoms and the establishment of the diagnosis of childhood cancer. All concerned should know that childhood cancer is no longer inevitably fatal if treatment is made consistently and as early as possible. The reduction of the death rate of childhood cancer is possible in the R.O.C. and hopefully this study will be of assistance to the government and the health professionals so that not only may the death rate be decreased but so that there is an improved quality of life for the child with cancer as well as the involved family.

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