Ge Lixia, Mordiffi Siti Zubaidah
Author Affiliations: Health Services and Outcomes Research, National Healthcare Group (Ms Ge); and Nursing Department, National University Hospital, Singapore (Dr Mordiffi).
Cancer Nurs. 2017 Nov/Dec;40(6):471-478. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000445.
Caring for elderly cancer patients may cause multidimensional burden on family caregivers. Recognition of factors associated with caregiver burden is important for providing proactive support to caregivers at risk.
The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with high caregiver burden among family caregivers of elderly cancer patients.
A systematic search of 7 electronic databases was conducted from database inception to October 2014. The identified studies were screened, and full text was further assessed. The quality of included studies was assessed using a checklist, and relevant data were extracted using a predeveloped data extraction form. Best-evidence synthesis model was used for data synthesis.
The search yielded a total of 3339 studies, and 7 studies involving 1233 family caregivers were included after screening and full assessment of 116 studies. Moderate evidence supported that younger caregivers, solid tumors, and assistance with patient's activities of daily living were significantly associated with high caregiver burden. Eighteen factors were supported by limited evidence, and 1 was a conflicting factor.
The scientific literature to date proved that caregiver burden was commonly experienced by family caregivers of elderly cancer patients. The evidence indicated that family caregivers who were at younger age, caring for solid tumor patients, and providing assistance with patient's activities of daily living reported high caregiver burden.
The data provide evidence in identifying family caregivers at high risk of high caregiver burden. More high-quality studies are needed to clarify and determine the estimates of the effects of individual factors.
照顾老年癌症患者可能会给家庭照顾者带来多方面的负担。识别与照顾者负担相关的因素对于为有风险的照顾者提供积极支持至关重要。
本研究的目的是确定老年癌症患者家庭照顾者中与高照顾者负担相关的因素。
从数据库建立到2014年10月，对7个电子数据库进行了系统检索。对检索到的研究进行筛选，并进一步评估全文。使用清单评估纳入研究的质量，并使用预先制定的数据提取表提取相关数据。采用最佳证据综合模型进行数据综合。
检索共得到3339项研究，在对116项研究进行筛选和全面评估后，纳入了7项研究，涉及1233名家庭照顾者。中等证据支持年轻照顾者、实体瘤以及协助患者进行日常生活活动与高照顾者负担显著相关。18个因素得到有限证据支持，1个因素存在冲突。
迄今为止的科学文献证明，老年癌症患者的家庭照顾者普遍经历照顾者负担。证据表明，年龄较小、照顾实体瘤患者以及协助患者进行日常生活活动的家庭照顾者报告的照顾者负担较高。
这些数据为识别高照顾者负担风险较高的家庭照顾者提供了证据。需要更多高质量的研究来澄清和确定各个因素影响的估计值。
