Caring strategies in parents of children with cancer

Background: The increased prevalence of cancer in children influences the family as the main child caregiver. Regarding the spiritual dimension for increasing the life quality of parents and its effect on the management of the conditions induced by the disease, the goal of this study was to determine the strategy of care in parents of cancer children. Materials and Methods: This study was performed with a qualitative method using the content analysis approach. Fifteen parents of the cancer children who were admitted to the Oncology and Hematology Wards of the Iranian Public Children's Hospitals participated in this study. First, the mothers were interviewed, then other participants, including fathers and mothers who had a special experience about this issue were studied through theoretical sampling. Data were analyzed using content analysis method.

Results: Data analysis led to the apparent main category of "intelligent rethinking" that included two subcategories: 1) "Cognitive confrontation" with the subsidiary categories of "effort to adopt" and "accept the disease" and 2) Optimism with the subsidiary categories of "hope" and "positive energy". Conclusion: This study showed that spirituality has an important role in accepting and complying with disease by parents of a cancer child. This would lead to managing the conditions and achieving the hope, positive energy, and efficient management of the conditions. Hence, paying attention to this important dimension in caring to achieve the suitable control and management of the conditions and accept the disease by parents is a necessity.