The Effect of Education and Telephone Follow-up on the Burden of Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer

Abstract

Introduction Family caregivers of patients with cancer face a care burden due to the responsibilities and problems of providing care to the patients. Applying appropriate strategies to reduce the burden is essential. Objective The study aimed to determine the effect of education and telephone follow-up on family caregivers’ burden on patients with cancer. Methods In this quasi-experimental study, 69 family caregivers of patients with cancer referred to only one chemotherapy center of a hospital in Lorestan province in Iran were recruited by convenience sampling method. They were randomly assigned to intervention ( n = 33) and control ( n = 36) groups. For the intervention group, two face-to-face training sessions and six telephone counseling sessions were held related to the care of the patients and self-care. The control group received only routine care. The family caregiver burden was measured by Novak and Gast Caregiver Burden Inventory (1989) completed before, immediately, and 6 weeks after the study. Data were analyzed by SPSS21 using independent t -tests, paired t -tests, and repeated measures. Results Both groups were homogeneous regarding demographic characteristics and the baseline care burden. The caregiver burden decreased significantly in the intervention group, so its score was 77.33 ± 8.49, 58.93 ± 8.03, and 52.78 ± 6.86 before the study, immediately after and 6 weeks later, respectively ( p < .001). In the control group, there were no significant changes. Conclusion Education and telephone counseling reduced the burden on family caregivers. Therefore, this type of support is beneficial for providing holistic care and preserving the health of family caregivers.