Some reproduction behaviour features of families with cancer children

Abstract

Purpose: The research studies behavior of families having children with cancer, in a stressful situation and the role of various factors influencing reproductive strategy of this group of families.Materials and methods. Questioning of 798 mothers from the different regions of the Russian Federation having disabled children with cancer, ages from 5 till 18 years, in the remission. Results. Child cancer changes the system of parents’ vital values towards a pro-family orientation –family, children, health become their priorities. The analysis of average ideal (2.5), average desirable (2.6) and average expected (2.1) indicators showed high reproductive potential of respondents, which is more if compared with similar indicators in other domestic sociological researches. 40,8% of respondents proved the influence of child cancer on their family planning behavior. The article gives a detailed analysis of the factors determining these families reproduction strategy: socio-economic, socio-psychological and sociocultural, personal features of respondents, medical characteristics of the disease and the therapy methods. Summary. The research proves that the majority of the families with cancer children consolidates to overcome the difficulties connected with cancer treatment, becomes more patriarchal and close-knit. The role of family values, paternity, motherhood, and, accordingly, the need in more children increases in this group of families. The families need psychological and medico-social support taking into account the complex of their problems.

Keywords

• children
• family
• oncological deseases
• reproductive strategy