Sains Malaysiana 42(7)(2013): 1019-1026

The Stress of Caregiving: A Study of Family Caregivers of

Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Oncologic Treatment at a

Malaysian General Hospital

(Tekanan daripada Penjagaan: Satu Kajian Berkenaan Keluarga Penjaga bagi Pesakit Kanser Payudara yang Menerima Rawatan Onkologi di Hospital Besar di Malaysia)

Raynuha Mahadevan, Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar*, Azlin Baharuddin & Rosdinom Razali

Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre

Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Siti Hazrah Selamat Din

Department of Psychiatry, Tuanku Jaafar Hospital

70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Siti Nor Aizah Ahmad

Department of Psychiatry, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Jalan Pahang

50586 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 3 Julai 2012/Diterima: 23 Julai 2012

ABSTRACT

Many studies among caregivers of breast cancer patients have revealed that stress affects a significant proportion of this particular group. The situation among caregivers of breast cancer patients in Malaysia was however not known. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the proportion of the family caregivers who experienced stress while caring for the breast cancer patients who were on oncologic treatment in Kuala Lumpur Hospital and factors which predict the stress among these caregivers. A total of 130 family caregiver-breast cancer patient dyads who were attending the Institute of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Kuala Lumpur Hospital during a 3-month study period were recruited by non-random sampling method. The caregivers’ stress was measured using the stress domain of the depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21) while other data obtained included the patients’ and caregivers’ socio demographic status, the patients’ illness characteristics and the caregiving factors and the caregivers’ perceived social support. About 1 in 4 (24.6%; n=32) caregivers of breast cancer patients were stressed. Duration of caregiving, sharing of caregiving burden, patients’ age and patients’ functionality were found to be significantly associated with stress (p value <0.05). All these factors, except for duration of caregiving, continue to be significant in the logistic regression analysis (p value <0.05). This study found that a high proportion of the family caregivers experienced stress. Identification of the predictors of stress among the caregivers may help in the prevention strategies of stress in this group of caregivers.

Keywords: Caregiver; oncology; stress

ABSTRAK

Banyak kajian dalam kalangan penjaga pesakit kanser payudara menunjukkan bahawa sebahagian besar daripada mereka mengalami tekanan. Keadaan dalam kalangan penjaga pesakit kanser payudara di Malaysia bagaimanapun tidak diketahui. Kajian keratan rentas ini bertujuan untuk menentukan perkadaran penjaga yang terdiri daripada ahli keluarga pesakit yang mengalami tekanan ketika menjaga pesakit kanser payudara yang menjalani rawatan onkologi di Hospital Kuala Lumpur dan faktor-faktor yang meramalkan tekanan dalam kalangan penjaga. Seramai 130 pasangan pesakit kanser payudara dan ahli keluarga/penjaga pesakit yang menjalani rawatan di Institut Radioterapi Onkologi, Hospital Kuala Lumpur semasa tempoh kajian selama 3 bulan menyertai kajian ini melalui kaedah persampelan tidak rawak. Ukuran tekanan dibuat menggunakan domain tekanan bagi kemurungan, kerisauan, skala tekanan (DASS-21) manakala data lain turut diperoleh termasuklah sosio-demografi, ciri-ciri penyakit, faktor penjagaan pesakit dan persepsi sokongan sosial. Lebih kurang 1 dalam 4 (24.6%; n=32) ahli keluarga/penjaga pesakit kanser payu dara mengalami tekanan. Tempoh penjagaan, perkongsian tanggungan penjagaan, umur pesakit dan keupayaan fungsi pesakit didapati berhubung kait secara signifikan dengan tekanan ahli keluarga/penjaga (p value<0.05). Semua faktor tersebut, kecuali tempoh penjagaan, kekal signifikan selepas analisis regresi lojistik dilakukan (p<0.05). Kajian ini mendapati kadar peratus ahli/keluarga yang mengalami tekanan adalah tinggi. Mengenal pasti faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi tekanan tersebut boleh membantu dalam merangka strategi bagi mencegah tekanan bagi golongan penjaga pesakit.

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: nikruzyanei@yahoo.com