Abstract:

Background: Cancer patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy often rely heavily on caregivers for support during their treatment journey. The responsibilities and challenges faced by caregivers in this context can be overwhelming, encompassing emotional,financial ,Accommodation, and informational needs. Understanding these needs and expectations is crucial for developing targeted support interventions that can alleviate caregiver burden and enhance the quality of care provided to patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy.

Method: This was hospital -based qualitative study employed a phenomenological design. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with caregivers of cancer patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy to explore their experiences, needs, and expectations. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and patterns in the data, focusing on needs and expectation of caregivers of cancer patient undergoing palliative radiotherapy.

Results: Caregivers highlighted several challenges, including financial difficulties associated with hospital bills, accommodation costs, and transportation expenses. They expressed a need for improved infrastructure especially presence of more than one machine and resources to reduce congestion and enhance treatment efficiency. Many caregivers reported unrealistic expectations among patients regarding recovery outcomes. Satisfaction with healthcare services was generally low, with a majority feeling unsupported by family, friends, and their broader social network.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the diverse and pressing needs of caregivers in palliative radiotherapy settings. Addressing financial burdens, managing patient expectations realistically, improving service satisfaction, and bolstering social support systems are essential for enhancing caregivers' resilience and improving patient care outcomes. Efforts to implement targeted interventions and strengthen social support networks are recommended to alleviate caregiver stress and enhance overall care quality in palliative radiotherapy contexts.