Spiritual Well-Being and Care Burden in Caregivers of Patients with Breast Cancer in Turkey

Abstract

This research was carried out to identify the relationship between the spiritual well-being and caregiver burden in caregivers of patients with breast cancer. The study was conducted with family caregivers of patients with breast cancer who presented to the oncology clinic of a university hospital for treatment. The study sample included a total of 138 family caregivers who met the criteria for participation and agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using a participant information form, caregiver burden scale and three-dimensional spiritual well-being scale. The caregivers have a moderate level of caregiver burden and their spiritual well-being was quite high. The caregiver burden of female caregivers was found to be significantly higher than that of male caregivers ( p = 0.040). There is a negatively significant relationship between caregiver burden and spiritual well-being ( p = 0.000, r = − 0.357). The caregiver burden is significantly higher among the 24-h caregivers compared to that among the 3-h and 4–6-h caregivers ( p = 0.003). The spiritual well-being of the caregivers who provide care between 3 h and 4–6 h a day was significantly higher than that of those who provide 24-h care ( p = 0.001). Increasing spiritual well-being may help to reduce caregiver burden in caregivers of those with breast cancer.

Care burden and the predictive role of spiritual well‐being and religious coping: A cross sectional study among Iranian family caregivers of patients with stroke

“…Consistent with the current conclusion, recent research by Torabi Chafjiri et al found that caregivers of elderly individuals with stroke in Iran experienced less stress when they had a spiritual outlook 40 . Previous studies has also found a negative correlation between spiritual well‐being and caregiving responsibilities 26,50 . One aspect of spirituality illustrated here is that of spiritual wellness.…”

“… 40 Previous studies has also found a negative correlation between spiritual well‐being and caregiving responsibilities. 26 , 50 One aspect of spirituality illustrated here is that of spiritual wellness. Care providers for chronic patients, in particular, can benefit from attending to their spiritual well‐being to cope with the stresses inherent in their duties.…”

Assessing the relationship between spiritual intelligence and care burden in family caregivers of older adults with chronic diseases

“…Accordingly, caregivers with higher spiritual intelligence may be more resilient, something which may help them better manage caregiving challenges and experience lower levels of care burden. Another study analyzed the effects of spirituality on care burden and the quality of life in informal caregivers of older adults and showed that higher levels of spirituality were associated with lower care burden and better quality of life (41). The results of both studies emphasized that spirituality had an inverse relationship with care burden and improved the quality of life and coping skills among caregivers.…”

Developing a conceptual model for understanding caregiving experience and their impacts on quality of life for Chinese breast cancer family caregivers: A qualitative study

“…The role of home nursing and family‐centred care is crucial in improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients, a concept widely recognized in both Chinese and international contexts (Leung et al., 2014; Mokhtari‐Hesari et al., 2018; Segrin et al., 2020; Townsend et al., 1990; Zhao et al., 2022). However, the increasing burden and psychological distress faced by family caregivers as a patient's condition worsens is a global concern, mirrored in China's experience (Bahrami & Farzi, 2014; Türkben Polat & Kiyak, 2023). The tendency to overlook caregiver burden in clinical practice is a worldwide issue, not limited to any single cultural or healthcare setting (Adelman et al., 2014; Giunta et al., 2022).…”