Supportive and Palliative Care Attitude for Cancer Patients

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the importance of palliative care and attitude towards end-of-life among cancer patients. Besides, it will focus on how the attitude towards cancer patients is defined and structured, and what are some of the factors that can have an effect on attitude. A person’s attitude towards an object (person, events, things) is determined by their feelings, emotions, beliefs, knowledge, and cultural attitudes (ethnic, racial, and religious factor). Moreover, the current chapter will try to clarify the misconceptions and fears of patients and caregivers towards palliative care and how we should try to change public perception. Attitudes towards palliative care are important not only to healthcare professionals but also to patients and their family members’ attitudes toward cancer. The quality of life of a cancer patient has a direct connection with the professional and nonprofessional caregiver’s knowledge of supportive care and attitude towards end-of-life care. Supportive and palliative care is an important component of the spectrum of health care services in the delivery of the best practices for cancer patients. Health care professionals play pivotal roles in the delivery of palliative care for cancer patients as they have to provide health care services with a positive attitude and also be prepared mentally.