Caregiver burden and symptom distress in people with cancer receiving hospice care.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between caregiver burden and symptom distress in patients with terminal cancer who are enrolled in hospice.

DESIGN

Descriptive, quantitative.

SETTING

A large, metropolitan, nonprofit-based organization in west central Florida.

SAMPLE

Convenience sample of 30 patient-caregiver dyads enrolled in hospice.

METHODS

Caregivers completed the Caregiver Reaction Scale to measure the level of caregiver burden; patients completed the Adopted Symptom Distress Scale. Results were correlated using a Pearson correlation.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Symptom distress and caregiver burden.

FINDINGS

The patient sample exhibited low symptom distress, and the caregiver sample exhibited moderate caregiver burden. A statistically significant moderate correlation existed between symptom distress and caregiver burden.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant moderate correlation confirms the idea that caregiver burden and patient symptom distress are related. Future studies are needed to obtain a more representative sample of caregivers of patients closer to death, even if those patients are nonresponsive.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

This information can assist hospice nurses in assessing and formulating targeted care for symptom distress and caregiver burden in their patients,