Burden of caregiving and its impact in the patients of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

This study aims to study the caregiver burden and its correlates among the caregivers of adolescent and adult patients of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Sixty caregivers of patients with ALL were assessed on Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBI), Caregiver Strain Index, multidimensional aspect of perceived social support scale, Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale, ways of coping checklist, and General Health Questionnaire.

Caregivers of patients with ALL reported high caregiver burden (FBI objective burden score - 21.77; subjective burden score - 1.83). Among the domains of FBI, the highest burden was seen in the form of financial burden closely followed by disruption of family leisure. Caregivers of male patients and those belonging to higher socioeconomic status reported higher level of objective burden. Caregiver burden was higher among caregivers who reported lower perceived social support, who more often used avoidance and escape as coping and less often used planful problem solving. Higher caregiver burden is associated with higher psychological morbidity.

Caregivers of patients with ALL experience high level of caregiver burden and it is associated with lower social support and more often use maladaptive coping strategies.