Burden and Psychological Distress among the Caregiver of Cervical Cancer Patients Admitted in a Maternity Tertiary Care Centre, Chennai

Abstract

Background: The incidence and frequency of cervical cancer have increased over the past few decades, especially in low-income regions. Burnout among primary care providers, which, if untreated, can have a severe effect on patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to measure the burden and psychological distress experienced by caregivers of women with advanced cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: The investigator used a descriptive, single-center approach. The duration of the study was three months. In this study, we randomly selected 50 caregivers of women with advanced cervical cancer. Participants in the study were caretakers ranging from 20 to 65 years of age. Professional caretakers were excluded. A caregivers self-assessment questionnaire, a sociodemographic scale, and the Zarit burden interview (ZBI-12) scale were used to gather the data. The obtained data were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS version 26. Results: The numbers show that 46% of caretakers have a high level of burden, 54% experience a moderate level of burden. 64 % of caretakers reported feeling some emotional distress, 26 % reported significant distress, and 10 % reported feeling very little. Conclusion: In sum, the nurse educator plays a key role in reducing the mental and physical stress placed on caregivers by assisting them in identifying and responding to their loved ones' needs.