Caregiver Burden in the Patients of Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia

To study the caregiver burden and its correlates among the caregivers of adolescent and adult subjects with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). 30 caregivers of patients with AML were evaluated on family burden interview schedule (FBI), Caregiver Strain Index, multi-dimensional aspect of perceived social support scale, Cognitive-Behavioural Avoidance Scale, ways of coping checklist and General Health Questionnaire. Caregivers of patients with AML reported high caregiver burden (FBI objective burden score: 27.8; subjective burden score: 1.43). Among the various domains of FBI, the mean scores were highest for the domain of disruption of family activities and this was closely followed by disruption of family leisure. Patients with lower family income reported higher subjective and objective burden and were more overwhelmed. Patients belonging to lower socioeconomic status reported more financial 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 acceptability-responsibility and positive appraisal coping. Higher caregiver burden is associated with higher psychological morbidity. Caregivers of subjects with AML experience high level of caregiver burden and it is associated with lower social support and more often use maladaptive coping strategies.