J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2010 Aug;10(2):129-136.

Relationship between Stress and Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Patient with Lung Cancer

• Park JY

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to examine the relationship between stress and quality of life of family caregivers of patients with lung cancer.
METHODS
From April 18 to May 4, 2009, data were collected using self-report questionnaires with 95 family caregivers of lung cancer patients in G cancer center. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and pearson's correlation coefficient with SPSS 14.0.
RESULTS
The mean score of the stress level was 27.5 (SD=14.77). The mean score of the QOL was 73.0 (SD=17.86). The stress level of family caregiver showed significant difference according to gender (psychological stress p=.011, total level of stress p=.042) and availableness of second caregiver (physical stress p=.023, psychological stress p=.035, total level of stress p=.001). The QOL of family caregivers showed significant difference according to daily caring (positive adaptation p=.045) and financial burden on treatment expense (positive adaptation p=.004, total quality of life p=.043). The negative correlation was found between stress and QOL of family caregivers (r=-.67, p=.032).
CONCLUSION
These results indicate a need to develop nursing intervention programs for family caregivers to reduce stress and improve QOL.

Keyword

Lung cancer; Family caregiver; Stress; Quality of life

MeSH Terms

Caregivers
Humans
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Stress, Psychological

Reference

1. 2009 result of national cancer registration statistics. The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family affairs. accessed on 2 August 2010. Available at http://www.mw.go.kr/front/sch/search.jsp.

2. Korean Statistical Information Service. accessed on 1 March 2010. Available at: http://kosis.kr/.

3. Thompson E, Sola I, Subirana M. Non-invasive intervention for improving well-being and quality of life in patients with lung cancer-A systematic review of the evidence. Lung Cancer. 2005. 50:163–173.

4. Kim CG. A comparison of quality of life between the families of cancer patients and those of hospice patients. J Korean Acad Adult Nurs. 1997. 9:545–557.

5. Yang YH. The relationship with caregiving context and caregiving stress and social support for wives caregivers of chronic Ill patients. J Korean Acad Adult Nurs. 1995. 7:85–105.

6. Shin GY. Adaptation model for family caregiver of cancer patient [dissertation]. 2001. Seoul: Seoul National Univ..

7. Heo MS. The relationship between stress and quality of life in mothers of children with cancer [dissertation]. 2009. Seoul: Kosin Univ..

8. Lee JH. Stress and burden of family caregiver in caregiving of terminal patients [dissertation]. 2001. Gwangju: Chonnam Univ..

9. Cliff AM, MacDonagh RP. Psychosocial morbidity in prostate cancer II. a comparison of patients and partners. BJU int. 2000. 86:834–839.

10. Yang EY. The relationship between burden and quality of life in terminal cancer patient's family [dissertation]. 2007. Gwangju: Chosun Univ..

11. Joe SH. Stress assessment and management. J Korean Med Assoc. 2004. 47(3):226–234.

12. Ahn EJ, Lee YS. Burnout and burden of family care-givers for caring of terminal patients with cancer. J Korean Oncol Nurs. 2005. 5:40–51.

13. Orodenker SZ. Family caregiver in a changing society: the effect of employment on caregiver stress. Fam Community Health. 1990. 12(4):58–70.

14. Jang HK. The relationship between self esteem, family support and qualitative life [dissertation]. 1998. Seoul: Korea Univ..

15. Eo JM. A study on the burden and life quality of cancer patients' family members [dissertation]. 2004. Seoul: Hanyang Univ..

16. Han KS, Khim SY, Lee SJ, Park ES, Park YJ, Kim JH, et al. Family functioning and quality of life of the family care-giver in cancer patients. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2006. 36:983–991.

17. Yang HJ. A study of influencing factors on quality of life of family caregivers of patients with lung cancer [dissertation]. 2008. Seoul: Yonsei Univ..

18. Holmes TH, Rahe RH. The social readjustment rating scale. J Psychosom Res. 1967. 11:213–218.

19. Park SY. Stress and my health. Kwangju City Seogu Health News. 1999. 84:7–9.

20. Ferrell BR, Dow KH, Leigh S, Ly J, Gulasekaram P. Quality of life in long-term cancer survivors. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1995. 22:915–922.

21. Rhee YS, Shin DO, Lee KM, Yu HJ, Kim JW, Kim SO, et al. Korean version of the caregivers Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC-K). Qual Life Res. 2005. 14:899–904.

22. Weitzner MA, Meyers CA, Steinbruecker S, Saleeba AK, Sandifer SD. Developing a care giver quality-of-life instrument. Preliminary steps. Cancer Pract. 1997. 5:25–31.

23. Kim HS. Correlation between stress, coping patterns and physical symptom of cancer patient's caregiver. J Korean Acad Adult Nurs. 2001. 13:317–326.

24. Kim HS, Park HA, Oh MJ. Actual physical symptom and stress in caregivers of patients with cerebrovascular disease. J Korean Acad Nurs. 1998. 28:695–704.

25. Kim MY. The health state and stress level of the family caregiver living with patient under chemotherapy [dissertation]. 2002. Gwangju: Chonnam Univ..

26. Song MR, Yang KH, Kim EK. The stress and adaptation in family caregiver of chemotherapy patients. Seoul J Nurs. 1998. 12:118–132.

27. Yoo YK. A study of the perceived burden and the quality of life of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients [dissertation]. 1997. Jeonju: Chonbuk Univ..

28. Ahn DS. A study on the perceived burden and quality of life in family caregivers with chronic liver disease patients [dissertation]. 2005. Gangneung: Kwandong Univ..

29. Song GS. A study on the burden and quality of life of family caregivers to diabetes inpatients [dissertation]. 2004. Busan: Dong Eui Univ..

30. Nam MS. The effects of family education of stroke patient to their family burden and roll-stress [dissertation]. 1997. Seoul: Ewha Womans Univ..