FACTORS INFLUENCING FAMILY CAREGIVER STRAIN INDEX OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY

Although cancer attacks only one person, all family members are involved. Most studies on cancer have been focused on patient, but the families coping process and their needs are ignored by care providers. The goal of present study is to investigate the amount of care giver strain to breast cancer patients, and their demographic characteristics. This is a Typical Descriptive study which lasted from July 2012 to February 2013. Participants recruited from outpatient chemotherapy setting of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Iran) using convenience sampling method. 91 family care givers of breast cancer patients completed the demographic and care giver strain index questionnaires. More than half of the subjects in this study had a strain score above7 which represents severe care giver strain but none of the demographic variables had a significant statistical relationship with care strain. Although care givers in this study experienced a great amount of strain and need psychotherapy intervention, none of the demographic variables could predict this tension. Studies with larger sample size assessing other factors may be helpful in understanding causal relationships.