Depression, Burden, and Self-Efficacy among Caregiving Parents of Children with Cancer

Abstract

Background: Cancer is stigmatized in Egypt, where there are many misconceptions associated with having cancer. Most people think that cancer is the death penalty. The aim of the study is to determine the degree of burden, depression, and self-efficacy among caregiving parents of children with cancer. Design: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. Setting: The study was carried out at the outpatient clinic of Sporting Students Hospital which is affiliated with the Health Insurance Organization, Ministry of Health and Population. The hospital has an outpatient clinic for children suffering from cancer. Sample: Subjects of the present study consist of 200 caregiving parents of children with cancer who were recruited from the outpatient clinics of Sporting Students Hospital. Tools of data collection: Tool 1: Caregiver socio-demographic and clinical data structured interview schedule. Tool 2: Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Tool 3: Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale (CaSES). Tool 4: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Result: About three quarters of the subjects (72.5 %) were mothers, the mean score percent of total burden among the studied caregiver parents was 63.59±13.94% reflecting high degree of burden, in which the majority of them (96.0%) were at high risk for burn out, the mean score percent of the self-efficacy among the studied caregiver parents was 52.34± 12.02 %, showing that the majority of the studied caregiver (81.0%)had moderate level of self-efficacy and 99.0% of the studied care giver parents had depression with the mean score percent of 61.84±15.87 reflecting a very high level of depression. Conclusion: The great majority of the studied cares giving parents were at high risk for burn out and almost all of them were depressed. They tend to have high scores for both burden and depression. In addition, the majority of them had a moderate level of self-efficacy. Caregivers' burden significantly positively correlates with depression. As well, the more self-efficacy they have, the less their burden and depression. Recommendation: Based on results, family caregivers (FCs) have to be included in the plan of child care. Also, psychiatric health care nurses have to emphasize the issue of supporting family caregivers to improve their management of symptoms including those less visible such as emotional and communication issues.