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
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