Quality of Life of Family Caregivers and Challenges Faced in Caring for Patients With Lung Cancer

Abstract

Family caregivers (FCGs) of lung cancer patients face multiple challenges which impact their quality of life and well-being. Whether challenged physically, emotionally, socially or spiritually, distress in one area may compound challenges in other areas. In order to maintain function and health of FCGs as they provide valuable care for the health and well-being of the patient, attention must be given to the needs of FCGs for support and education. The purpose of this article is to describe the multifaceted challenges that FCGs of lung cancer patients experience using case studies selected from a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded Program Project Grant “Palliative Care for Quality of Life and Symptom Concerns in Family Caregivers of Lung Cancer Patients.” The cases are discussed in terms of how the FCG’s quality of life is impacted by the caregiver role as well as how stressors in one or more domains of quality of life compound difficulties in coping with the demands of the role. The importance of the oncology nurse’s assessment of FCGs’ needs for support, education, and self-care through the lung cancer illness trajectory is discussed while presenting accessible community resources to meet those needs.

Needs of the caregivers of people requiring palliative care in an urban area of Pondicherry, South India

“…Similar to this study done by Pirragglia et al and Fujinami et al in US among caregivers of cancer patients showed high level of depression among the caregivers of terminally ill patients. 5,12 Kulkarni et al in Maharashtra, India and Carlsson et al in Sweden identified sleep problems among the caregivers of palliative patients and they found it was more among the younger age and women caregivers which was similar to this study. 7,9 In our study caregivers of conditions other than age related weakness, perceived high stress because the sudden diagnosis of the patient's illness was unexpected for their family and was not acceptable by the caregivers.…”

“…Study by Fujinami et al in United States showed financial constraints among caregivers due to loss of income, which was similar to this study. 12 Present study found financial issues caregivers of poor socioeconomic status and those who provided care for patients with illnesses like paralytic conditions, mild mental retardation, psychosis following head injury, CKD, cancer esophagus and chronic heart disease which was similar to findings observed in studies done by Covinsky et al among caregivers of palliative patients in Unites States and Kulkarni et al in India. 7,13 In our study three women caregivers who provided care for persons suffering from stigmatizing illness like mental health related illness experienced social issues like avoiding going out or avoiding attending festivals, lack of social support and lack of enough time to spend with their partners and children.…”

Comfort level of caregivers of cancer patients receiving palliative care

“…Researches reveal the need for a multi-professional team to prepare the caregiver and clarify the doubts related to the patient’s illness. This can be a way to reduce the caregiver’s anxiety and increase the quality of the care provided 9 , 34 . A clear communication with the family is fundamental, given that uncertainty regarding the disease process is one of the factors that most impairs the well-being of the caregiver 35 .…”

The impact of lung cancer surgery on quality of life trajectories in patients and family caregivers

“…1 Previous studies have demonstrated that FCGs of cancer patients experience decreased quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress related to their caregiver role. 2 …”