Effects of Care Burdens of Caregivers of Cancer Patients on their Quality of Life

Abstract

In this study, the aim was to examine the effects of caring burdens of family caregivers of cancer patients ontheir quality of life in the east of Turkey. Data were collected at the Chemotherapy unit of Yakutiye ResearchHospital of Ataturk University. Participants were 18 years old and older. The sample included 190 familycaregivers who were living in the same flats with the patients during caregiving. Data were collected using aquestionnaire that included socio-demographic questions for family caregivers and the Burden Interview, andthe Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) Scale. SPSS version 14.0 was used to analyse the data.Descriptive statistics were computed for demographic variables of family caregivers. Pearson correlation analysiswas used to analyze the relationship between the care burden and quality of life, linear logistic regression analysiswas applied to determine the effect care burdens have on the quality of life, and logistic regression analysis wasemployed to determine the effect descriptive characteristics and care-related properties have on the quality oflife. The score mean of the burden interview of caregivers was 36.6±11.2; and their score mean of CQOLC was81.4±17.3. This study concluded that there was a negative relationship between caring burdens and the qualityof life (p<0.001); descriptive characteristics, caring-related properties, and caring burden variables were allsignificant predictors of the quality of life. It is recommended that caregivers are given support by being offeredtraining about providing care.