Factors associated with caregiver burden for mothers of children undergoing Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) treatment

Abstract

Objective The present study examined the extent to which social support (SS) availability and satisfaction could predict the extent of caregiver burden (CB) among mothers of children with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Method The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive-correlative study. It was conducted on a sample of 117 mothers whose children were undergoing treatment in a public hospital in Bam, Iran. The Norbeck Social Support Scale and the Caregiver Burden Scale were used to measuring study variables. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlations, t-tests, ANOVAs, and linear regressions. Results Significant correlations were observed between CB and SS availability (r = −0.499, p < 0.001), SS satisfaction (r = −0.543, p < 0.001), the age of the child with cancer (r = −0.22, p = 0.01), and duration of treatment (r = 0.336, p < 0.001). Married mothers experienced less CB than those that were widowed or divorced. Within the regression equation, SS satisfaction, SS availability, marital status, and duration of treatment were the predictors of CB. Significance of results Based on the results of the current study, mothers who have less SS, especially those who are single mothers, with younger children, and who have taken care of their child for an extended duration should be given special attention. Furthermore, it appears that there are distinct cultural variations amongst Iranian mothers which suggest that culture may impact upon SS availability. Results also suggest a need for interventions that enhance nurses' ability to provide support to caregivers and the broader family unit as a whole. Nurses in cancer care need to have psychological competencies to help family members of cancer patients especially mothers and more so those that are single mothers. As integral members of the patient care experience, nurses may be uniquely positioned to provide this needed psychosocial support.

Care burden and associated factors in caregivers of children with cancer

“…Single caregivers had less care burden than married caregivers. Contrary to the current study, the results of a study (2019) in Iran showed that married mothers had less care burden than single mothers [ 16 ]. Moreover, two studies in the Netherlands (2014) and Canada (2012) showed single mothers had high care burden [ 32 , 33 ].…”

“…In line with a previous study [ 14 ], the results showed that caregivers with high education level experienced less care burden than caregivers with low education level. However, some studies have indicated no relationship between education and care burden [ 16 ]. Those who are more educated may be better able to manage their stress and have more problem-solving skills [ 4 , 16 ].…”

“…Numerous sociodemographic factors affect the amount of care burden perceived by caregivers, including age, gender, marital status, patient’s age, education, occupation, and monthly income. Regarding the factors related to caring burden in the caregivers, studies have shown different results [ 4 , 8 , 9 , 14 – 16 , 18 – 20 ]. Since the first step in helping the caregivers with care burden is to identify them [ 7 , 10 , 11 ], identifying caregivers with care burden will play a crucial role in promoting their health and improving the quality of care provided to the patient [ 21 ].…”

How mothers of a child with type 1 diabetes cope with the burden of care: a qualitative study

“…Caregiver burden is a complex construct that depends heavily on the context and culture of the community in which care takes place [ 10 ]. There are several definitions of this concept.…”

“…According to previous literature, caring for children with diabetes is a very difficult task. Mothers are the primary caregivers in most countries, especially in the middle eastern ones and cultures [ 10 , 18 ]. Most mothers and families accept the disease eventually but in different paths.…”