Depression, caregiver burden and social support among caregivers of retinoblastoma patients in China

• Published in: International journal of nursing practice Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 478 - 485
• Main Authors: Wang, Li-Juan, Zhong, Wen-Xiang, Ji, Xun-Da, Chen, Jiao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Burden; burden of care; Cancer; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Carers; Caretaker syndrome; China; Depression; Depression - epidemiology; Eyes & eyesight; family caregiver; Female; Humans; Male; Mental depression; Nursing; Prevalence; Questionnaires; retinoblastoma; Retinoblastoma - nursing; Social Support; Social workers; Sociodemographic aspects; China; social support; family caregiver; depression; burden of care; retinoblastoma
• ISSN: 1322-7114; 1440-172X
• DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12458

The aim of this study is to examine the burden of family caregivers of patients with retinoblastoma in China and the relationships between depression, caregiver burden and social support. A descriptive and correlational survey was conducted with 117 Chinese family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma from the Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma were asked to respond to four questionnaires including sociodemographic questionnaire, Becker Depression Inventory, Caregiver Burden Inventory and Social Support Rating Scale. The incidence of depression in this study was 51.3%; the average score for social support indicated moderate social support available to the caregivers, although their level of caregiver burden was heavy. Depression scores were significantly positively correlated with caregiver burden scores and significantly negatively correlated with the social support scores. Heavy caregiver burden was associated with lower monthly income, low subjective social support and less use of social support.