Abstract
Background: Family caregivers are central to the delivery of home-based palliative care for patients with advanced cancer, yet many experience substantial physical, emotional, social, and financial strain. Structured coping interventions may strengthen adaptive coping and reduce perceived caregiver burden.
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured coping intervention on caregiver burden and coping strategies among caregivers of home-based palliative cancer patients, and to examine associations between selected demographic variables and study outcomes.
Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was used. Forty caregivers of cancer patients receiving home-based palliative care were selected through simple random sampling from a sampling frame of eligible patients. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview, and coping strategies were measured using the Brief COPE Inventory. The intervention consisted of an informational booklet and an individualized educational session on coping strategies. Post-test assessment was conducted seven days after the intervention.
Results: Most patients were aged 31-50 years (67.5%), with equal male and female representation. Oral cancer was the most common diagnosis (32.5%), followed by lung and breast cancer (27.5% each). All patients had Stage IV disease, and chemotherapy was the most frequently reported treatment modality (75%). Mean caregiver burden decreased significantly from 45.85 ± 7.50 to 38.55 ±7.17 (paired t = 15.64, p < 0.001). Mean coping score increased significantly from 37.24 ± 8.95 to 74.48 ± 10.21 (paired t = 30.08, p < 0.001). Caregiver burden showed significant associations with age, marital status, education, occupation, and relationship with the patient. Coping strategies were significantly associated with age and distance of the hospital from home.
Conclusion: The structured coping intervention showed significant reduction in caregiver burden and improvement in coping strategies among caregivers of home-based palliative cancer patients. Incorporating caregiver-focused education into routine palliative-care nursing practice may strengthen caregiver preparedness and support family-centered care.
Keywords: caregiver burden; coping strategies; coping intervention; palliative care; cancer caregivers; home-based care.