Investigation of the relationship between caregiver burden and life quality of family members who are giving home-based care for patients receiving outpatient radiotherapy

Investigation of the relationship between caregiver burden and life quality of family members who are giving home-based care for patients receiving outpatient radiotherapy Aim: This research was conducted to investigate the relationship between caregiver burden and life quality of those who give home-based care for patients receiving outpatient radiotherapy. Material and Method: This research was carried out at Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center Radiation Oncology and Van Regional Education and Research Hospital Radiation Oncology Units between 01 February 2017-01 January 2018. The universe of the research was established by the caregivers of the patients who came to the Radiation Oncology Units of the mentioned hospitals (n=231). Since the entire universe is planned to be included in the scope of the research, sampling method has not been conducted. The data were collected using the caregivers' identification information form, individual patient identification information form, The Care Delivery Burden Scale, Quality of Life Scale for Caregivers. Kruskal Wallis, Mann Withney-U, t Test from Independent Groups, One-way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Analysis were used in the evaluation of the data. Findings: It was found that the caregivers participating in the study had a mean score of 42.83±13.76 in the Caregiver Load Scale score and that the caregivers had introductory features, characteristics related to their illnesses and income status, working status, marital status, child ownership status, and the mean score of care load scale according to the duration of care was statistically significant (p<0.05). It was determined that the average score of the Caregivers' Quality of Life Scale was 85.00±18.00 and the average of the quality of life scales according to the caregivers' income status, working status, marital status, child ownership status, degree of affinity with the patient obtained from caregivers' characteristics, disease-related characteristics and problems were statistically significant (p<0.05). Results: Caregivers' burden of care, introductory and care-related characteristics and the problems they have experienced have been found to have an impact on caregiving burden and quality of life. Keywords: Cancer, Caregiver, Caregiving Burden, Life Quality, Nursing