Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among patients' ADL dependence, symptoms, family support, quality of patient-family caregiver relationship, psychological well-being, caregiving knowledge and burden of family caregivers for patients with cancer or chronic illness. Subjects: There were 110 family caregivers recruited from medical and surgical units of one Midwest Medical Centers. The mean age of family caregivers was 54.02 years. The majority of caregivers were wife, daughter and husband. The mean age of patients was 64.68 years. The top four symptoms that patients had were fatigue, pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Methods: A multivariate descriptive design was used to describe the relationships among care receiver dependency, caregiver factors, family support, and family caregiver burden. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Information on patients' ADLs and symptoms were obtained from family caregiver report. Results: The findings indicated that there were significant positive relationships between family caregiver burden and the following variables: family caregiver age, patients' symptoms and ADL dependency, and lack of family support. There were significant negative relationships between family caregiver burden and the following variables: psychological well-being, quality of relationship and caregiving knowledge. In Multiple Regression, the model variables accounted for 33% of the variance in family caregiver burden. Patients' symptoms, caregiving knowledge, and lack of family support are significant predictors of family caregiver burden. In Multiple Regression, the model variables accounted for 42% of the variance in perception of caregiver burden. Lack of family support and quality of relationship are significant predictors of perception of caregiver burden. Conclusion: It is vital for nurses to assess family caregivers' needs and resources and the quality of the patient-family caregiver relationship, and nursing education in developing a plan of care that reduces family caregiver burden.

Description

41st Biennial Convention - 29 October-2 November 2011. Theme: People and Knowledge: Connecting for Global Health. Held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & convention Center.

Authors

Pi-Ming Yeh

Author Details

Pi-Ming Yeh, PhD, RN

Sigma Membership

Unknown

Lead Author Affiliation

Missouri Western State University, Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Descriptive/Correlational

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Family Caregiver Burden, Family Support, Quality of Relationship

Conference Name

41st Biennial Convention

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Grapevine, Texas, USA

Conference Year

2011

Rights Holder

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All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

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Factors influencing family caregiver burden in the hospital in USA

Grapevine, Texas, USA

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among patients' ADL dependence, symptoms, family support, quality of patient-family caregiver relationship, psychological well-being, caregiving knowledge and burden of family caregivers for patients with cancer or chronic illness. Subjects: There were 110 family caregivers recruited from medical and surgical units of one Midwest Medical Centers. The mean age of family caregivers was 54.02 years. The majority of caregivers were wife, daughter and husband. The mean age of patients was 64.68 years. The top four symptoms that patients had were fatigue, pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Methods: A multivariate descriptive design was used to describe the relationships among care receiver dependency, caregiver factors, family support, and family caregiver burden. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Information on patients' ADLs and symptoms were obtained from family caregiver report. Results: The findings indicated that there were significant positive relationships between family caregiver burden and the following variables: family caregiver age, patients' symptoms and ADL dependency, and lack of family support. There were significant negative relationships between family caregiver burden and the following variables: psychological well-being, quality of relationship and caregiving knowledge. In Multiple Regression, the model variables accounted for 33% of the variance in family caregiver burden. Patients' symptoms, caregiving knowledge, and lack of family support are significant predictors of family caregiver burden. In Multiple Regression, the model variables accounted for 42% of the variance in perception of caregiver burden. Lack of family support and quality of relationship are significant predictors of perception of caregiver burden. Conclusion: It is vital for nurses to assess family caregivers' needs and resources and the quality of the patient-family caregiver relationship, and nursing education in developing a plan of care that reduces family caregiver burden.