Psychiatric morbidity and quality of life among family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer: a home based community preliminary study

ABSTRACT

Objective: This descriptive cross-section, community-based study examined the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and quality of life (QOL) and the associated factors among family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer. Methods: Subjects were 50 family caregivers of cancer patients under the care of Hospice Malaysia homecare. Home visits were done in Klang Valley. Psychiatric morbidity was detected using GHQ-30 English and Bahasa Malaysia versions, and the QOL was assessed by the Short Form 36 items (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: The study results showed that 54% of respondents had psychiatric morbidity. The educational status and the relationship between family caregivers and the cancer patients were statistically significant (p<0.05) associated with psychiatric morbidity. Among the respondents, scores of all domains of QOL were lower than those of the general Malaysian population. There were statistically significant associations between the relationship of family caregivers and cancer patients, as well as bodily pain and mental health domains (p<0.05) and between gender and social functioning domains (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that caregivers of cancer patients are at risk for psychiatric illnesses and low QOL.