Caregiver Burden Among Primary Family Caregivers of Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Cross-sectional Study From Suzhou, China

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) require extensive care, and their caregivers were previously found to experience high levels of caregiver's burden. However, the current status of HSCT patient caregiver burden in Suzhou, China, is still unknown.

Objective: To investigate the current status of caregiver burden among family caregivers of HSCT patients from Suzhou, China, and explore the related factors of caregiver burden.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 116 HSCT patient-caregiver dyads. The following measurement tools were used: a demographic questionnaire, Zarit Burden Interview, and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (brief version). Multiple regression model was used to analyze the factors associated with caregiver burden, and the relationship between caregiver burden and quality of life was analyzed.

Results: Caregivers' marital status, family monthly income, duration of caregiving, daily caregiving time, other cocaregivers, transplant-related complications, and relapse were closely related to caregiver burden, and 75.4% of the variance in caregivers' burden was explained by these factors. A negative correlation between caregiver burden and quality of life was noted.

Conclusion: The HSCT patient caregivers' burden noted in this study was higher than that found in previous studies. The quality of life of HSCT patient caregivers is lower than that of the average Chinese population and decreases with a greater sense of burden.

Implications for practice: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patient caregivers should be given appropriate social support to reduce their burden of care. Factors identified in this study may help center future intervention programs on caregivers who need help the most.