A Descriptive Study on the Quality of Life among the Caregivers of Cancer Patients Undergoing Out-Patient Chemotherapy in Cancer Care Center of Medical Center Manila (Manila Med)
Keywords:
Chemotherapy, Manila MedAbstract
Background: Caregivers of cancer patients face unique challenges given the intense nature of the disease and its treatment, which increases their
risk for burden, poor quality of life (QOL) and burnout. The issues on caregivers’ burden and quality of life can be measured through the use of a
multidimensional tool, Caregiver Quality-of- Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC). We determine the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of cancer patients
undergoing out-patient chemotherapy in Cancer Care Canter of Medical Center Manila (Manila Med).
Methods: A descriptive study was used with a total of 44 caregivers of cancer patients who were receiving outpatient chemotherapy completed the sociodemographic survey and Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) tool. The researchers identified the demographic profile of caregivers of cancer patients. Quality of life(QoL) was characterized and assessed using the CQOLC index tool.
Results: A total of forty-four (44) respondents were included in the study with mean age of 40.61. Majority of the respondents were female, young
adults, and children of cancer patients. Mean total CQOLC score was 84.70 ± 21.24.
Discussion: Association between the sociodemographic factors and quality of life(QoL) impairments in each domain of family caregivers was
determined of which the only domain of which has significant correlation was Burden among the female gender groups (p-value 0.0169). Caregivers
whose patients belonged to non-metastatic stage cancer showed better quality of life compared to metastatic stage cancers with a p-value of 0.0315 and 0.023, on the domains of Disruptiveness and Burden, respectively. Other characteristics such as age, co-morbidities, relationship to patient, and cancer types showed no significant differences across all domains.
Interim Analysis: Caregivers of cancer patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy in Manila Med have a relatively good quality of life based on
CQOLC score. This study also confirmed that quality of life of cancer patients’ primary caregivers are greatly affected by different factors.
