The Unmet Needs of the Family Caregivers of Patients with Cancer Visiting a Referral Hospital in Iran

Objective: The complex process of taking care of patients with cancer can affect various aspects of the needs and health of their family caregivers. The present study aims to determine the unmet needs of the family caregivers of patients with cancer and to compare it according to background variables. Methods: The present descriptive study recruited 200 family caregivers of patients with cancer visiting a referral hospital in Iran. Sampling was carried out through the convenience method. Data were collected using Shin's comprehensive needs assessment tool in seven domains (health and psychological problems, family/social support, healthcare staff, information, religious/spiritual support, hospital facilities/services, and practical support). Results: The mean (±standard deviation) of the total scores of the unmet needs of the family caregivers was 81.73 (±16.82), with a possible range of 0–123. A significant percentage of the family caregivers of patients with cancer had unmet needs in all of the seven domains with different severities. The mean scores were higher in the information, healthcare staff (physicians and nurses), and health and psychological problems domains as compared to the other domains. Conclusions: The results showed that the majority of the family caregivers of patients with cancer have many unmet needs, which should be addressed by professional care providers through the development of holistic care programs targeting family caregivers by focusing on information needs and a proper communication process

Evaluating the Factors Affecting COVID-19 Patients’ Mortality in Arak in 2020

Background. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a leading cause of death in the world in the last few years. This study has investigated various causes and risk factors that may lead to death due to this disease. Methods. From June to October 2020, 98 expired and 196 recovered patients were studied for risk factors, underlying diseases, and laboratory findings that could lead to disease progression and mortality. Results. There was a significant relationship in terms of blood pressure, age, oxygen saturation, tachycardia, tachypnea, the interval between the onset of symptoms and hospitalization, diabetes mellitus, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, history of opium abuse, C-reactive protein, white blood cell, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, creatinine elevation, elevated liver enzyme, creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, D-dimer, troponin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, intensive care unit admission days, arrhythmia, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury (AKI), and the type of antiviral and antibiotic therapy between the two groups of patients. Conclusions. Mortality due to COVID-19 is affected by various causes such as age, underlying diseases, and complications that may occur in the course of the disease (e.g., arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and AKI). By accurately identifying these causes and risk factors, we can prevent these complications and the mortality from COVID-19