Family resources study: part 1: family resources, family function and caregiver strain in childhood cancer

Asia Pacific Family Medicine

Avegeille T Panganiban-Corales¹  Manuel F Medina¹ 

[1] Department of Family and Community Medicine University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila Philippines

关键词: family resources assessment;    family's coping mechanism;    family function;    caregiver burden;    caregiver stress;    caregiver strain;    family resources;   

Others  :  790658
DOI  :  10.1186/1447-056X-10-14

 received in 2011-06-06, accepted in 2011-10-31,  发布年份 2011

【 摘 要 】

Background

Severe illness can disrupt family life, cause family dysfunction, strain resources, and cause caregiver burden. The family's ability to cope with crises depends on their resources. This study sought to assess families of children with cancer in terms of family function-dysfunction, family caregiver strain and the adequacy of family resources using a new family resources assessment instrument.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study involving 90 Filipino family caregivers of children undergoing cancer treatment. This used a self-administered questionnaire composed of a new 12-item family resources questionnaire (SCREEM-RES) based on the SCREEM method of analysis, Family APGAR to assess family function-dysfunction; and Modified Caregiver Strain Index to assess strain in caring for the patient.

Results

More than half of families were either moderately or severely dysfunctional. Close to half of caregivers were either predisposed to strain or experienced severe strain, majority disclosed that their families have inadequate economic resources; many also report inaccessibility to medical help in the community and insufficient educational resources to understand and care for their patients. Resources most often reported as adequate were: family's faith and religion; help from within the family and from health providers. SCREEM-RES showed to be reliable with Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. There is good inter-item correlation between items in each domain: 0.24-0.70. Internal consistency reliability for each domain was also good: 0.40-0.92. Using 2-point scoring system, Cronbach's alpha were slightly lower: full scale (0.70) and for each domain 0.26-.82. Results showed evidence of association between family resources and family function based on the family APGAR but none between family resources and caregiver strain and between family function and caregiver strain.

Conclusion

Many Filipino families of children with cancer have inadequate resources, especially economic; and are moderately or severely dysfunctional. Many caregivers are predisposed to caregiver strain or are already experiencing severe strain. To provide appropriate care for these families, physicians should regularly assess family function, resources and strain experienced by caregivers. The SCREEM-RES questionnaire used in this study is a helpful and reliable instrument to assess adequacy of family resources.

【 授权许可】

   
2011 Panganiban-Corales and Medina; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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