Department of Anesthesiology, Palliative Care Unit, University of Health Sciences, Dr. AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Health Sciences, Dr. AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Indian J Cancer. 2022 Apr-Jun;59(2):187-193. doi: 10.4103/ijc.IJC_671_19.
The caregivers of advanced cancer patients face many physical, psychological, social, and economic problems. In this study, the quality of life and burden in the primary family caregiver of patients with advanced cancer receiving inpatient palliative care were investigated.
A total of 200 patients with advanced cancer hospitalized at palliative care center and primary caregivers were included. Functional capacities of patients were evaluated with Karnofsky Performance Scale and need of care with Katz index. The Turkish version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF TR) was used to assess the quality of life of caregivers.
The median Karnofsky Performance score of patients was found to be 30% and Katz Index score to be 2. The mean WHOQOL-BREF TR domain scores of family caregivers were 48.96 (Standard deviation (SD) =12.67) for physical health, 59.21 (SD=14.09) for psychological status, 56.83 (SD=20.91) for social relations, and 55.67 (SD=14.13) for environmental domain. Scores of psychological and environmental subscales were lower in women caregivers. The environmental subscale showed a significant difference in terms of education. The score of social relations subscale of the care giving spouse was lower than caregiving children and siblings. The score of environmental subscale of caregivers with insufficient income was found to be lower than caregivers with sufficient income. Karnofsky Performance and Katz Index scores and subscales of WHOQOL-BREF TR did not reveal any significant relation.
This study showed that all subscales of quality of life are impaired in caregivers of advanced cancer patients, physical health being the most prominent.
晚期癌症患者的照顾者面临许多身体、心理、社会和经济问题。本研究旨在调查接受住院姑息治疗的晚期癌症患者的主要家庭照顾者的生活质量和负担。
共纳入 200 名在姑息治疗中心住院的晚期癌症患者及其主要照顾者。采用 Karnofsky 表现量表评估患者的功能能力，采用 Katz 指数评估患者的护理需求。采用世界卫生组织生活质量量表简表（WHOQOL-BREF TR）评估照顾者的生活质量。
患者的 Karnofsky 表现评分中位数为 30%，Katz 指数评分为 2。照顾者的 WHOQOL-BREF TR 各领域平均分分别为：生理健康 48.96（标准差 [SD] =12.67）、心理健康 59.21（SD=14.09）、社会关系 56.83（SD=20.91）和环境 55.67（SD=14.13）。女性照顾者的心理和环境子量表得分较低。教育程度在环境子量表上存在显著差异。配偶照顾者的社会关系子量表得分低于子女和兄弟姐妹照顾者。收入不足的照顾者的环境子量表得分低于收入充足的照顾者。Karnofsky 表现和 Katz 指数评分以及 WHOQOL-BREF TR 的子量表均与生活质量无显著相关性。
本研究表明，晚期癌症患者照顾者的所有生活质量子量表均受损，其中以生理健康最为突出。
