Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Psychooncology. 2011 Aug;20(8):902-5. doi: 10.1002/pon.1814. Epub 2010 Aug 2.
The nature and magnitude of the problems facing caregivers remain largely unknown in developing countries of the world. This study addresses these issues in a group of caregivers of patients with cancer in Zaria, Nigeria.
One hundred and three patients attending an oncology outpatient clinic at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital were enrolled in the study with their caregivers. The caregivers were interviewed using the Socio-demographic data sheet, General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30) and Zarith Burden Interview (ZBI). A score of 4 or more in GHQ and scores above the median score of the sample in ZBI were considered a clinically significant level of psychological morbidity and a high level of burden, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 13 for Windows. All statistical tests of significance were carried out at 5% level of probability.
The patients were 60 women whose mean age was 57. Of the 103 caregivers, 60 (58%) were men and 43 (42%) were women. Their mean age was 37. Their mean ZBI and GHQ-30 scores were 29.16±12.8 (median = 25) and 3.67±3.01, respectively. A high level of burden was found in 49.5% (95% CI 39.9-59.1%) and psychological morbidity was found in 46.6% (95% CI 37.0-56.2%) of the caregivers. High levels of burden and psychological morbidity were significantly associated with absence of financial support.
The study demonstrated a high level of caregiver burden, psychological morbidity and financial strain in family caregivers coming to the clinic with a relative who has cancer in an urban Nigerian setting.
在世界发展中国家，照顾者所面临问题的性质和严重程度在很大程度上仍未可知。本研究针对尼日利亚扎里亚的一组癌症患者照顾者，对这些问题进行了研究。
本研究纳入了 103 名在艾哈迈杜·贝洛大学教学医院肿瘤科门诊就诊的患者及其照顾者。使用社会人口统计学数据表格、一般健康问卷-30 项（GHQ-30）和 Zarith 负担访谈（ZBI）对照顾者进行访谈。GHQ 中得分 4 或以上和 ZBI 中得分高于样本中位数的被认为分别存在临床显著的心理发病和高负担水平。使用 Windows 版社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）版本 13 对获得的数据进行分析。所有具有统计学意义的检验均在 5%概率水平进行。
患者为 60 名女性，平均年龄为 57 岁。103 名照顾者中，60 名（58%）为男性，43 名（42%）为女性，平均年龄为 37 岁。他们的平均 ZBI 和 GHQ-30 评分为 29.16±12.8（中位数=25）和 3.67±3.01。49.5%（95%CI 39.9-59.1%）的照顾者存在高负担水平，46.6%（95%CI 37.0-56.2%）的照顾者存在心理发病。高负担和心理发病与缺乏经济支持显著相关。
本研究表明，在尼日利亚城市环境中，照顾者在照顾癌症亲属时，存在高负担水平、心理发病和经济压力。
