Psychology

Psychological Well-Being amongst Cancer Palliative Care Professionals working in Bengaluru, India

Psychological Well-Being amongst Cancer Palliative Care Professionals working in Bengaluru, India

Palliative care professionals had moderate levels of psychological well-being with implications for the quality of patient care they provide, showed the findings of the study.

Authors

Amanpreet Kaur​, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India; Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Mahendra P. Sharma, Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Santosh K. Chaturvedi, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom.

Summary

Increased levels of psychological distress and burnout in cancer palliative care professionals have implications on their psychological well-being, quality of patient care they provide and for their employing organisations.

There is a dearth of studies on psychological well-being with no published study available on psychological well-being amongst cancer palliative care professionals in India. The aim of the present study was to assess psychological well-being amongst cancer palliative care professionals.

Materials and Methods

The study was cross-sectional and quantitative which was carried out at four cancer palliative care centers (one hospice and three hospitals) in Bengaluru city of India.

The tools sociodemographic and professional datasheet and psychological well-being (PWB-20) scale were administered with 65 participants (Mean Age = 32.5, SD = 11.78). Purposive sampling method was used to recruit the participants working full-time at respective centers after obtaining permissions and ethical approvals.

Descriptive, correlational, and inferential analysis of the quantitative data was carried out based on normality of the distribution.

Results

The results revealed above average levels of self-acceptance and engagement and growth, below average levels of mastery and competence, while average levels of positive relations and PWB (total score).

Significant differences in PWB domains based on age (P < 0.05) and self-care practices (P < 0.05) were seen. Sense of engagement and growth was found to be positively correlated with age and income earned per month (P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Findings from the present study suggest that cancer palliative care professionals had moderate levels of PWB with implications in training and future research.

Published in: Indian Journal of Palliative Care

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