Caregiver Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Women with Breast Cancer
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Date
2019-03-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Biomedical Research Network+, LLC
Abstract
Purpose: Breast cancer presents a typical picture of the enormity of cancer burden on
the Nigerian nation. This study describes the impact of caregiving burden on the informal
caregivers of women with breast cancer.
Methods: Two hundred and twenty-six dyads attending the oncology clinic of the
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital were recruited through a convenience sampling
technique. Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and General
Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) were used to measure caregiver burden, social support and selfefficacy respectively. A score above 24 in ZBI was considered a high level of burden. Data
were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.
Results: The patients were 108 whose average age was 63.7 (14.9). Of the 118
informal caregivers, 89 (75.4%) were women and 29 (24.6%) were men. Their mean age
was 41.9. The participants reported high care burden (37.1). 44% of the variance of the
caregiver burden was explained by the monthly family income, payment type for treatment,
relationship to the patient, caregivers’ self-efficacy, and social support.
Conclusion: The study revealed a high level of caregiver burden among informal
caregivers. Assessments of the caregiver burden and targeted interventions, such as
increasing self-efficacy and social support in low-income areas are necessary to identify
and alleviate the caregiver burden.
Description
Israel Olatunji Gabriel| Biomed J Sci & Tech Res| BJSTR. MS.ID.002704.
Keywords
Cancer, Oncology, Caregiver burden, Informal caregivers, Self-efficacy, Social support