Analysis of the disease cognition of parents of children with cancerand its influencing factors

Objective To explore the disease cognition of parents of children with cancer and the influencing factors. Methods The convenient sampling method was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of parents of children with cancer who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from June 2020 to December 2021. A general data questionnaire and illness cognition questionnaire-parent version (including helplessness, acceptance and perceived benefit) was used. Results The scores of helplessness, acceptance and perceived benefit of parents of children with cancer were 15.56±4.24, 16.09±4.40 and 19.66±3.90, respectively. According to multiple regression analysis, parents' age and education background affected parents' helplessness. Per capita monthly household income, parents'daily care time and children's disease course affected parental acceptance. The length of parental daily care, diagnosed age, and the course of disease affected perceived benefit for parents. Conclusions Parents of children with cancer have high positive cognition about the perceived benefits of disease, and moderate cognition about acceptance of disease and helplessness. Parents' age, parents' education background, the course of disease, medical treatment payment, per capita monthly household income, parents' daily care of time and diagnosed age affects parent' disease cognition. Nursing workers should fully evaluate parents' demographic and social data and children's disease data, and identify the parents with high negative disease cognition, so as to provide reference for more specific care for the families of children with cancer.