Abstract
Today, there is a shift towards care being given closer to the patient, with more children receiving care in their homes. Care at home has proven to be a viable alternative to hospital care, as shown by a project for hospital-based home care conducted in West Sweden. The aim of this study was to describe how children with cancer and parents experienced receiving care at home. After purposive sampling, six children with cancer aged 6–16 and eight parents participated. Semistructured interviews were performed, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four main categories emerged: save time and energy in the family; maintain everyday life; feel trust in the healthcare professionals; mixed feelings about getting treatment at home. This hospital-based home care project created good conditions for both children with cancer and their parents to feel secure. In addition, home care can be very child-centric, whereby the caregivers involve the children by taking their thoughts and utterances into account.
Highlights
In Sweden, approximately 370 children suffer from cancer each year [1]
Physicians and nurses specialized in paediatric care, whose ordinary job was conducted at a childhood cancer centre in West Sweden, went to the homes of children with cancer
Thirteen children and 16 parents were invited to participate in the study
Summary
In Sweden, approximately 370 children suffer from cancer each year [1]. The diagnosis of cancer can be experienced as chaotic for the child and the family [2]. For most children and families, a cancer diagnosis leads to a transition to unpredictable everyday life with many hours in hospital [2,3]. Hospital-based home care can be offered as a viable alternative to hospital care. Parents experienced this as a calmer and more predictable solution, and more compatible with family life, than being forced to stay in hospital [4]. Parents can often be financially affected by hospital stays [5,6]
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