Exploring Experiences of Palliative Care Patients’ Guardians at Mzuzu Central Hospital

Background The number of patients with chronic illnesses who require palliative care services is increasing every year in Malawi. For this reason, family involvement in caregiving has become increasingly important as the number of patients receiving palliative care continues to grow. Guardians play a greater role in the provision of care to patients that are on palliative care. For instance, they provide physical, emotional, and financial support to their patients. Evidence suggests that the guardians/caregivers encounter several challenges as they provide the support. This study therefore, aimed to explore the experiences of family caregivers/guardians when taking care of patients at Mzuzu Central Hospital palliative care clinic. Methods This was a descriptive qualitative study, facility based conducted at a public Hospital in Mzuzu City, Malawi among 16 guardians aged above 21 years. Data were collected using a semi- structured interview guide. Ethical approval was obtained from College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee. Thematic analysis of the data was done guided by Collaizi’s framework. Findings: The findings from this study reveal that caregivers play a crucial role in patient care, providing psychological support, basic nursing activities, and physical support. It has been noted that they face financial challenges, including transport costs, food, and other needs. Some caregivers leave their main income source, businesses, and work to care for patients, while others face social isolation and distress. Conclusion This study has shown that providing palliative care is linked to financial capacity of the guardians. As a result, a multidisciplinary approach and policy reinforcement for palliative care are necessary to reduce the amount of burden that guardians must bear when providing care for patients.