A pilot examination of the impact of cancer patients' fatigue on their spousal caregivers

Abstract

Spouses who were identified as having elevated burden experienced more personal fatigue, had worse dyadic adjustment, reported poor energy levels, and tended to engage in fewer work and social activities; the impact of patient's fatigue level on these parameters was highly variable in this small pilot study.

The Fatigue Symptom Inventory: a systematic review of its psychometric properties

“…Eight studies [15,20,21,29,30,59,65,66] reported results based on modified approaches for scoring the FSI. These approaches included calculating a mean score across all four of the fatigue severity items [21], calculating a mean score across the most, least, and average fatigue severity items [20], creating a fatigue score ranging from 0-127 by summing the first 13 FSI items [59], and creating an index score with a value between 0 and 10 by averaging participant responses to the four severity items, one frequency item, and the seven interference items [29,30].…”

“…Jacobsen et al [39] Interference Jacobsen et al [40] Interference Interference score range=0.92-0.94 Stein et al [21] Interference Interference score=0.95 Andrykowski et al [42] Interference Interference score=0.95 Booth-Jones et al [43] Interference Dahn et al [44] interference Passik and Kirsh [45] Sum of severity, frequency, interference Wilson et al [46] Interference Hartvig et al [47] Mean of severity, one frequency item, interference Hartvig et al [48] Mean of severity, one frequency item, interference Losito et al [50] Interference Monk et al [51] Interference Shun et al [51] Sum of severity, frequency, interference Sum of severity, frequency, interference=0.92 Siegel et al [52] Interference Temel et al [53] Mean of 4 severity items Young and White [54] Interference Cohen and Fried [55] Mean of severity, frequency, interference Interference score range=0.91-0.93; alpha for sum not reported Donovan et al [56] Mean of 4 severity items 4-item severity score range=0.91-0.93 Jacobsen et al [58] Interference Karvinen et al [59] Interference Lai et al [60] Interference Interference score range=0.92-0.96 Shun et al [61] Sum of severity, frequency, interference Sum of severity, frequency, interference range=0.92-0.95 Donovan et al [20] Mean of 3 severity items Mean of average, most, least=0.84 Espie et al [64] Interference Luciani et al [66] Interference Rogers et al [67] Interference Simonelli et al [68] Interference Interference score=0.94 Yang et al [69] Interference combined with 3 other measures to create symptom stress score Interference score=0.93…”

User Survey of Nanny Angel Network, a Free Childcare Service for Mothers with Cancer

“…Many attributed the unavailability to the fact that the significant other was required to work extra hours, an unfortunate familiarity to families with an ill parent, because numerous financial burdens arise with the need to pay medical bills, hire outside help, and make up for the lost income of the ill spouse 1 . The additional expenses can become very burdensome to both the patient and family 18 and can cause strain in a marriage 19 . In an effort to fulfil the needs for support, nan provides a Nanny Angel free of charge.…”

Taking Care of Her: A Pilot Feasibility Study of a Caregiver Intervention for Women with Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer

“…Depressed mood in ovarian cancer patients is significantly elevated compared to population norms; 29% -47% reach or exceed clinical levels of anxiety or depression or both [8] [9] [10]. Women are emotionally devastated by the disease [24] [25] [26]; harbor substantial fears about dying from the cancer [27]; and fear recurrence even at initial time of diagnosis [28].…”

“…Spouse caregivers also report feeling like "deer in the headlights" and do not know what to say or do to support the patient nor how to manage the distress of the disease on themselves, the patient, or their relationship [4] [5] [6]. Rates of depressed mood and anxiety are significantly elevated in both patient and caregiver and both equate the diagnosis with an inevitable death sentence [7] [8] [9] [10]. The illness also deleteriously affects the couple as a dyad: it causes them to disconnect from each other, emotionally struggle on their own, constrains their communication about the illness with each other, and leaves the patient feeling abandoned, misunderstood, or unsupported [11] [12].…”