Factors Influencing Burden among Family Caregivers of Elderly Cancer Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to identify factors influencing burden among family caregivers of elderly cancer patients. METHODS: The participants were 217 family caregivers who visited inpatient & outpatient clinics for elderly cancer patients at two general hospitals. Data were collected utilizing the Perceived Health Status Scale, Herth Hope Index Scale, Medical Outcome Study-Social Support Scale, and Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale. RESULTS: The level of burden in the participants was moderate to high. There were significant correlations among perceived health status, hope, social support and burden. In multiple regression analyses, the most powerful predictor of burden in family caregivers was hope (36.0%). Overall, other caregivers, perceived economic status, caring time, gender, patients' confusion, tangible support, and perceived health status explained 61.0% of the variance of burden among the participants. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of hope on burden in family caregivers. Thereby, integrative interventions are needed to enhance hope and social support and to promote caregivers' health status for alleviating-burden among family caregivers.