Caregiver Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: Breast cancer presents a typical picture of the enormity of cancer burden on the Nigerian nation. This study describes the impact of caregiving burden on the informal caregivers of women with breast cancer.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-six dyads attending the oncology clinic of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital were recruited through a convenience sampling technique. Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) were used to measure caregiver burden, social support and selfefficacy respectively. A score above 24 in ZBI was considered a high level of burden. Data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.

Results: The patients were 108 whose average age was 63.7 (14.9). Of the 118 informal caregivers, 89 (75.4%) were women and 29 (24.6%) were men. Their mean age was 41.9. The participants reported high care burden (37.1). 44% of the variance of the caregiver burden was explained by the monthly family income, payment type for treatment, relationship to the patient, caregivers’ self-efficacy, and social support.

Conclusion: The study revealed a high level of caregiver burden among informal caregivers. Assessments of the caregiver burden and targeted interventions, such as increasing self-efficacy and social support in low-income areas are necessary to identify and alleviate the caregiver burden