Relationship quality and burden among caregivers for late-stage cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores how caregiver relationship quality with family, patient, and patient's health care provider (HCP) is associated with subjective caregiver burden during the early treatment phase for late-stage cancer.


METHODS
Burden and relationship quality were assessed in telephone interviews with family caregivers (FCGs) of advanced cancer patients. The five subscales of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment measured burden, while relationships were measured with the Family Relationship Index, the Family Inventory of Needs subscale of met needs, and a scale assessing family discord in cancer communication.


RESULTS
Multiple linear regression analyses in SPSS (v16) of 420 FCGs showed that higher quality relationship with family was associated with lower burden in FCG abandonment, health, scheduling (p < 0.001) and finances (p < 0.01). Higher quality relationship with patients' HCPs was associated with lower burden in FCG abandonment (p < 0.05), health, and finances (p < 0.001). More discordant communication in patient relationship was associated with lower financial burden (p < 0.05). Relationship quality was not associated with caregiver self-esteem.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings demonstrate that caregiver relationship quality with family and with HCP are important factors in understanding caregiver burden during the early treatment phase of late-stage cancer care.
Francis
Linda E
LE
CWRU at Metrohealth, Case Western Reserve University, 258 Rammelkamp Center, 2500 Metrohealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA. Linda.francis@case.edu
Worthington
Julie
J
Kypriotakis
Georgios
G
Rose
Julia H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing*; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult