Abstract:
This descriptive correlational research examined the supportive care needs and the relationship between selected factors related to supportive care needs in family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. One hundred and eighty-four family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. The research instruments included the demographic data form and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y, the Social Support Questionnaire, the Fatigue Severity Scale, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, the Supportive Care Needs Survey for partners and caregivers of cancer survivors, a knowledge assessment form and the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale. These instruments were tested for their content validity by a panel of experts. Their CVI were 0.75, 1.00, 0.90, 0.90, 0.70, 0.80, and 1.00 respectively. The reliability of the instruments was tested using Cronbachs alpha coefficent. They were at 0.93, 0.93, 0.94, 0.91 and 0.96, respectively. The KR-20 of the knowledge assessment form was 0.73. Test-retest reliability of The Karnofsky Performance Status Scale was 0.95. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviations and Pearsons product-moment correlation. The research results were as follows: 1) The supportive care needs in family caregivers of cancer patients was at moderate level (mean = 3.09, SD = 0.74). 2) Social support and physical performance of patients were negatively and significantly related to supportive care needs in family caregivers of cancer patients (r = -.21 and -.22, p < .05, respectively) 3) Knowledge, anxiety, fatigue and symptom severity were positively and significantly related to supportive care needs in family caregivers of cancer patients (r = .17, .20, .29, and .37, p < .05, respectively). However, age was not significantly related to supportive care needs in family caregivers of cancer patients (r = .06, p > .05 ).