암환자 가족원의 우울에 대한 영향요인

Abstract

Objectives: With the rapidly increasing incidence of cancer worldwide, it has become important for health care professionals to both provide care for cancer patients and to address the challenges faced by family caregivers of cancer patients. This study aims to identify the factors affecting depression among cancer patients’ family caregivers. The results of this study suggest the need to propose programs for family caregivers as well as cancer patients. Methods: Participants were 219 caregivers who were informed of the study purpose and agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe’s test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple stepwise regression with the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program. Results: The mean score for depression among cancer patients’ family caregivers was 1.57±.40 (range: 0–3). Depression was significantly different based on age, relationship with the patient, education, occupation, cancer recurrence, care days per week, financial burden, site of cancer, and health status. Analysis using multiple regression showed that model 1 showed 16% of the factors predicting depression among cancer patients’ family caregivers (F=6.16, p<.001) including occupation, recurrence, and health status of the caregiver. Model 3, which included additional burnout, showed 37% of the factors predicting depression (F=12.36, p<.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that it is necessary to develop programs for prevention and management of depression among cancer patients’ family caregivers.