Stress and its related factors in families of patients with cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22122/cdj.v3i2.65Keywords:
Traumatic Stress Disorders, Family, Cancer, Chronic DiseaseAbstract
BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the most common kinds of chronic diseases. In addition, it is a cause of stress in the family members of the patient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the amount of stress and its related factors in families of patients with cancer.
METHODS: In this descriptive study, 96 family members of cancer patients admitted to 3 hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran, were recruited in the study. Data gathering tools consisted of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and a researcher-made questionnaire for demographic data and factors associated with caregiver stress. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software.
RESULTS: A total of 55 (57.3%) subjects showed moderate stress levels and 20 subjects (20.8%) showed severe stress levels. There was a significant relationship between the levels of stress and age of less than 30 years and female gender. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between the level of stress and factors such as uncomfortable treatment environment, feeling dissatisfied with staff, fear of recurrence, difficulties in everyday life, no spiritual practice, negative attitudes toward treatment outcome, refusing to participate in favorite activities, changes in interactions with others, lack of leisure time, imbalance between daily responsibilities and care, inadequate income, and lack of appropriate facilities (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: There were several factors causing stress in patients’ families. It is recommended that nurses and the medical team be informed of these factors in order to manage stress in patients and their families.
References
Maurer FA, Smith CM, Leake P. Community/Public Health Nursing Practice: Health for Families and Populations. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Science Health Science Division; 2008. p. 274.
Stanhope M, Lancaster J, Leake P. Public Health Nursing. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Science Health Science Division; 2008. p. 573-5,720
O'Connell Smeltzer SC. Brunner & Suddarth's textbook of medical-surgical nursing: north American edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. p. 109-10, 192.
Sherman DW, Haber J, Hoskins CN, Budin WC, Maislin G, Cater J, et al. Differences in physical, emotional, and social adjustment of intimate, family, and nonfamily patient-partner dyads based on a breast cancer intervention study. Oncol Nurs Forum 2009; 36(4): E185-E197.
Mahram M. Cancer epidemiology in the world. Iran and Qazvin province. Proceedings of the Cancer from Prevention to Rehabilitation Congress; 2008 Oct 9-13 Qazvin, Iran; 2008. p. 26-8.
Mohammadi Shahbalaghi F. Efficacy and pressure carers in family cargivers of elders with Alzheimer patients in Tehran. Salmand Iran J Ageing 2006; 1(1): 26-33. [In Persian].
Chimeh N, Malakouti SK, Panaghi L, Ahmad Abadi Z, Nojomi M, Tonkaboni A. Care givers burden and mental health in Schizophrenia. Journal of Family Research: 2008; 4(15): 277-92.
Family Health Nursing. Trans. Hoseini V, Jafari N. Tehran, Iran: Jame-Negar Publication; 2008. p. 108. [In Persian].
Tang ST, Li CY, Liao YC. Factors associated with depressive distress among Taiwanese family caregivers of cancer patients at the end of life. Palliat Med 2007; 21(3): 249-57.
Kim Y, Schulz R. Family caregivers' strains: comparative analysis of cancer caregiving with dementia, diabetes, and frail elderly caregiving. J Aging Health 2008; 20(5): 483-503.
Yousafzai AW, Bhutto N, Ahmar S, Siddiqui
MN, Salamat S. Caregivers' stress of cancer patients in a tertiary care hospital. Journal of Postgraguate Medical Institue 2008; 22(1): 62-5.
Gaugler JE, Given WC, Linder J, Kataria R, Tucker G, Regine WF. Work, gender, and stress in family cancer caregiving. Support Care Cancer 2008; 16(4): 347-57.
Park JY. Relationship between stress and quality of life of family caregivers of patient with lung cancer. J Korean Oncol Nurs 2010; 10(2): 129-36.
Takman C, Severinsson E. A description of healthcare providers' perceptions of the needs of significant others in intensive care units in Norway and Sweden. Intensive Crit Care Nurs 2006; 22(4): 228-38.
Brenner BM, Suddarth. Medical Surgical Nursing, Pain, Cancer. Trans, Ibrahimi N. Tehran, Iran: Salemi Publication; 2008. p. 118-20. [In Persian].
Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. Global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav1983; 24(4): 385-96.
Fliege H, Rose M, Arck P, Walter OB, Kocalevent RD, Weber C, et al. The Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) reconsidered: validation and reference values from different clinical and healthy adult samples. Psychosom Med 2005; 67(1): 78-88.
Behroozi N, Shahni Yelaq M, Pourseyed SM. Relationship between perfectionism, perceived stress and social support with academic burnout. Strategy for Culture 2013; 5(20): 83-102.
Pasha GH, Bozorgiyan R. Relationship between upper cognition, idealism and self-efficacy with Perceive Stress among student of Islamic Azad university of Ahvaz. Journal of New Findings in Psychology 2011; 6(18): 91-102.
Glozman JM. Quality of life of caregivers. Neuropsychol Rev 2004; 14(4): 183-96.
Kim Y, Given BA. Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer survivors: across the trajectory of the illness. Cancer 2008; 112(11 Suppl): 2556-68.
Kitrungroter L, Cohen MZ. Quality of life of family caregivers of patients with cancer: a literature review. Oncol Nurs Forum 2006; 33(3): 625-32.
Mohr WK. Psychiatric-mental health nursing: evidence-based concepts, skills, and practices. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. p. 118-9.
Monahan FD, Phipps WJ. Phipps' medical-surgical nursing: health and illness perspectives-EMEA edition. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2006. p. 1416.
Pederson LM, Valanis BG. The Effects of Breast Cancer on the FamilyA Review of the Literature. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 1989; 6(1-2): 95-118.
Phipps S, Long A, Hudson M, Rai SN. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress in children with cancer and their parents: effects of informant and time from diagnosis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2005; 45(7): 952-9.
Robison J, Fortinsky R, Kleppinger A, Shugrue N, Porter M. A broader view of family caregiving: effects of caregiving and caregiver conditions on depressive symptoms, health, work, and social isolation. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2009; 64(6): 788-98.
Schulz R, Sherwood PR. Physical and mental health effects of family caregiving. Am J Nurs 2008; 108(9 Suppl): 23-7.
Moore S. Facilitating oral chemotherapy treatment and compliance through patient/family-focused education. Cancer Nurs 2007; 30(2): 112-22.
Llewelyn S, Kennedy P. Handbook of Clinical Health Psychology. New Jersey, NJ: Wiley; 2003. p. 65-71.
Timby BK, Smith NE. Essentials of Nursing: Care of Adults and Children. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005. p. 120.
Kim Y, Baker F, Spillers RL. Cancer caregivers' quality of life: effects of gender, relationship, and appraisal. J Pain Symptom Manage 2007; 34(3): 294-304.
Bainbridge D, Krueger P, Lohfeld L, Brazil K. Stress processes in caring for an end-of-life family member: application of a theoretical model. Aging Ment Health 2009; 13(4): 537-45.
Mellon S, Northouse LL, Weiss LK. A population-based study of the quality of life of cancer survivors and their family caregivers. Cancer Nurs 2006; 29(2): 120-31.
Winter KH, Bouldin ED, Andresen EM. Lack of
choice in caregiving decision and caregiver risk of stress, North Carolina, 2005. Prev Chronic Dis 2010; 7(2): A41.
Basavanthappa BT. Community health nursing. Trans. Hoseini M, Arbabi zadeh H. Tehran, Iran: Boshra Publication; 2003. p. 75-85. [In Persian].
Kim KS, Kwon SH. Comfort and quality of life of cancer patients. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci) 2007; 1(2): 125-35.
Sayegh P, Knight BG. The effects of familism and cultural justification on the mental and physical health of family caregivers. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2011; 66(1): 3-14.
Gaugler JE, Hanna N, Linder J, Given CW, Tolbert V, Kataria R, et al. Cancer caregiving
and subjective stress: a multi-site, multi-dimensional analysis. Psychooncology 2005; 14(9): 771-85.
Hasson-Ohayon I, Braun M, Galinsky D, Baider L. Religiosity and hope: a path for women coping with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Psychosomatics 2009; 50(5): 525-33.
Taylor C, Lillis C, LeMone P. Fundamentals of nursing: the art and science of nursing care. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins p. 63; 2005.
Craven RF, Hirnle CJ. fundamentals of Nursing: Human Health and Function. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2003. p. 53.
