FAMILY MEMBERS CARE EXPECTATIONS, CARE PERCEPTIONS, AND SATISFACTION WITH ADVANCED CANCER CARE - RESULTS OF A MULTISITE PILOT-STUDY

Psychometric properties of assessment tools designed for use with Engl ish-speaking family members of advanced cancer patients in different c are settings and different geographic locations were evaluated in this study. The robustness of the theoretical framework guiding the study and the factors identified with care satisfaction were also tested. Se venty-two family members drawn equally from medical hospital units, pa lliative care units, and home care programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba participated. Instruments used included the F-Care Expect ations Scale, F-Care Perceptions Scale, FAMCARE Scale, and the General Functioning Scale of the Family Assessment Device. All four tools yie lded acceptable reliability estimates. Discrepancy theory predicted fa mily care satisfaction in a highly significant manner (p<0.0001). Fami ly members of patients who had been diagnosed for longer than two year s had more positive perceptions of palliative care than did family mem bers of patients diagnosed for less than two years (p=0.05). Older fam ily members reported better family functioning than younger family mem bers (p<0.001). Spouses reported less discrepancy between care expecta tions and perceptions than did other relatives (p<0.05).