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Cited by 140Palliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesPalliative and Oncologic CareNursing care and research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Correlation between patient quality of life in palliative care and burden of their family caregivers: a prospective observational cohort study

Open access
Krug, Katja, Miksch, Antje, Peters-Klimm, Frank, Engeser, Peter, Szecsenyi, Joachim·2016·BMC Palliative Care
DOI 10.1186/s12904-016-0082-yPMC PMC4714452
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Family caregivers play a key role in palliative care at home, and understanding the interdependencies in the constellation of patient, family caregivers and service providers is important. As few longitudinal studies have examined the influence of patient quality of life (QoL) in palliative care on burden of family caregivers, the aim of this study was to identify correlations between changing patient QoL and changing burden of family caregivers that need consideration in patient management. METHODS: Palliative patients with cancer in primary care evaluated their QoL (Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative Care, QLQ-C15-PAL). They were assessed monthly for an interval of 6 months or until death of the patient. Family caregivers reported the burden they perceived while supporting the patient (Short form of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers, BSFC). Longitudinal data were analysed for all patients with at least 3 available assessments, considering the most recent data for participants with more than 3 assessments. Changes in patient QoL were analysed using the Friedman test. In a stepwise regression analysis, influences of change in patient QoL on changing caregiver burden were investigated. RESULTS: One hundred patients (63 men, 37 women; average age: 68 years) were enrolled in the study. The most common primary diagnoses were colon, lung or breast cancer. In 58 cases, assessments were available from both patients and caregivers. Patients reported overall quality of life increasing towards end of life, although reporting that physical functioning deteriorated. Symptoms of pain and fatigue bothered patients most. Caregiver burden was moderate and on average did not change over time. In a stepwise regression model, the difference in emotional functioning and the difference in dyspnoea showed an influence on the development of caregiver burden (explained variance of 19.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients' dyspnoea, feelings of depression and anxiety impacted on the perceived burden of family caregivers, but are manageable symptoms. Our results corroborate the need of regular assessment of patients' needs taking into account caregiver burden. In this way, general practice teams can intervene early and may more likely meet patients' needs in the end of life care process. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN78021852, assigned on 04/04/2007.

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Crossref · 10.1186/s12904-016-0082-y

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Fig. 1 Flowchart of patients and caregivers
Fig. 1 Flowchart of patients and caregiversCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 2 Change of caregiver burden depending on change of patient’s dyspnoea. Positive changes in caregiver burden and dyspnoea imply an increase in caregiver burden and a higher severity of dyspnoea
Fig. 2 Change of caregiver burden depending on change of patient’s dyspnoea. Positive changes in caregiver burden and dyspnoea imply an increase in caregiver burden and a higher severity of dyspnoeaCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 3 Change of caregiver burden depending on change of patient’s emotional functioning. Positive changes in caregiver burden and emotional functioning imply an increase in caregiver burden and an increase in emotional functioning
Fig. 3 Change of caregiver burden depending on change of patient’s emotional functioning. Positive changes in caregiver burden and emotional functioning imply an increase in caregiver burden and an increase in emotional functioningCC BY · PubMed Central

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Groenvold M, Petersen MA, on behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group. Addendum to the EORTC QLQ-C30 scoring manual: scoring of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL. 2006.
  2. Gräßel E. Häusliche Pflegeskala HPS zur Erfassung der Belastung bei betreuenden oder pflegenden Angehörigen. Ebersberg: VLESS-Verlag; 2001.
  3. Fayers PM, Aaronson NK, Bjordal K, Groenvold M, Curran D, Bottomley A, et al. EORTC QLQ-C30 scoring manual (3rd edition). Brussels: EORTC; 2001. ISBN: 2-9300 64-22-6.

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Metadata

Authors
Krug, K., Miksch, A., Peters-Klimm, F., Engeser, P., & Szecsenyi, J.
Affiliations
University Hospital Heidelberg (DE)
Corresponding author
Krug, Katja
ORCID
Venue
BMC Palliative Care
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-01-15
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
4-4
ISSN
1472-684X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12904-016-0082-y
PMC
PMC4714452
OpenAlex
W2239477274
Cited by
139
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2
FWCI
9.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Palliative Care (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • heiDOK (Heidelberg University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
  • Universität Heidelberg
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01GK0601)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Nursing care and research
Keywords
patient quality of life, family caregiver burden, home-based palliative care, cancer patients, end-of-life care, dyspnea, emotional functioning, anxiety and depression, pain and fatigue, primary care
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Fatigue, Female, Home Care Services, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Palliative Care, Prospective Studies, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Cohort Studies, Caregivers, Cost of Illness

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