Li-Fen Wu1,2,3, Chin Lin4, Yu-Chun Hung1,2, Li-Fang Chang1,2,3, Ching-Liang Ho5, Hsueh-Hsing Pan6,7. 1. Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. 2. School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City, Taiwan. 3. Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City, Taiwan. 5. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City, Taiwan. 6. Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan. pshing2001@gmail.com. 7. School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City, Taiwan. pshing2001@gmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The responsibility of taking care of terminal patients is accepted as a role of family members in Taiwan. Only a few studies have focused on the effect of palliative care consultation service (PCCS) on caregiver burden between terminal cancer family caregivers (CFCs) and non-cancer family caregivers (NCFCs). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to address the effect of PCCS on caregiver burden between CFC and NCFC over time. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a medical center in northern Taiwan from July to November 2017. The participants were both terminally ill cancer and non-cancer patients who were prepared to receive PCCS, as well as their family caregivers. Characteristics including family caregivers and terminal patients and Family Caregiver Burden Scale (FCBS) were recorded pre-, 7, and 14 days following PCCS. A generalized estimating equation model was used to analyze the change in the level of family caregiver burden (FCB) between CFC and NCFC. RESULTS: The study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in FCB between CFC and NCFC 7 days and 14 days after PCCS (p > 0.05). However, FCB significantly decreased in both CFC and NCFC from pre-PCCS to 14 days after PCCS (β = - 12.67, p = 0.013). PPI of patients was the key predictor of FCB over time following PCCS (β = 1.14, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that PCCS can improve FCB in not only CFC but also NCFC. We suggest that PCCS should be used more widely in supporting family caregivers of terminally ill patients to reduce caregiver burden.
PURPOSE: The responsibility of taking care of terminal patients is accepted as a role of family members in Taiwan. Only a few studies have focused on the effect of palliative care consultation service (PCCS) on caregiver burden between terminal cancer family caregivers (CFCs) and non-cancer family caregivers (NCFCs). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to address the effect of PCCS on caregiver burden between CFC and NCFC over time. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a medical center in northern Taiwan from July to November 2017. The participants were both terminally ill cancer and non-cancerpatients who were prepared to receive PCCS, as well as their family caregivers. Characteristics including family caregivers and terminal patients and Family Caregiver Burden Scale (FCBS) were recorded pre-, 7, and 14 days following PCCS. A generalized estimating equation model was used to analyze the change in the level of family caregiver burden (FCB) between CFC and NCFC. RESULTS: The study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in FCB between CFC and NCFC 7 days and 14 days after PCCS (p > 0.05). However, FCB significantly decreased in both CFC and NCFC from pre-PCCS to 14 days after PCCS (β = - 12.67, p = 0.013). PPI of patients was the key predictor of FCB over time following PCCS (β = 1.14, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that PCCS can improve FCB in not only CFC but also NCFC. We suggest that PCCS should be used more widely in supporting family caregivers of terminally ill patients to reduce caregiver burden.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cancer patient; Caregiver burden; Non-cancer patient; Palliative care consultation service; Terminally ill patient
Authors: Li-Fang Chang; Chi-Kang Lin; Li-Fen Wu; Ching-Liang Ho; Yi-Ling Lu; Hsueh-Hsing Pan Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-05 Impact factor: 3.390