Death of a child at home or in hospital: Experiences of Greek mothers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of Greek mothers who cared for a child dying of cancer at home or in the hospital, and to highlight some of their major needs during the terminal period. Fifteen mothers were interviewed and both quantitative and qualitative procedures were used to analyse the findings. Ten families (67%) chose to care for the child at home without having access to home care services, while the remaining five sought hospital care. Their decision was primarily based upon the child's expressed wish and parental preference. The family network played a significant role in supporting the mother-child unit, especially when death occurred at home. Mothers assessed positively the services provided by nurses and social workers, and had expectations that physicians would support them on a psychological level during the terminal period. The care of the dying child is influenced by cultural factors predominant in Greek society and some of the findings are discussed in this light.