Assessing the burden of family caregivers of cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To evaluate the burden of family caregivers of cancer patients in a Brazilian oncology hospital. Method: Quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional research conducted in a Brazilian oncology hospital, located in Minas Gerais. Data collection occurred through the application of a questionnaire containing sociodemographic questions and the Zarit scale, which assesses the degree of burden of caregivers, was used. Inclusion criteria were family caregivers over the age of 18, whose family member had a diagnosis of cancer and who was involved in caregiving. The association between burden and the explanatory variables was performed from the multiple linear regression model. The program SPSS version 20 was used to perform the analyses. Results: Among the 125 individuals interviewed, the majority were under 38 years old, 66.4% were female, 45.6% were children and 22.4% were spouses. The time of care varied from six months (39.2%) to two years (21.6%) and 80% of the interviewed individuals acted directly in the care of the ill person, 97.6% did not present overload. Conclusions: The caregivers in general did not present overload; however, it was verified a reduction in the quality of life of these caregivers when the questions of the Zarit scale referring to the psychological and social relations domains, separately, were analyzed.