Assessment of Maternal Burden and Family Functioning of Children with Cancer: Mixed Method Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e3416Keywords:
neoplasms, child, caregivers, evaluation study, family supportAbstract
Childhood cancer unexpectedly impacts the dynamics of children and their families. This study aimed to evaluate maternal burden and family functioning on children with cancer. This is a sequential explanatory mixed method study, carried out with 30 parents of children with cancer, whose mean age was 33 years (standard deviation = 6.7). The data, collected with the Informal Caregiver Burden Assessment Questionnaire (QASCI) and the Family APGAR Scale, indicated financial (46.7%) and emotional (23.3%) burden, in addition to a high burden in personal life. (60%) and reaction to demands (63.3%) in the interviewed participants. Family APGAR indicated severe dysfunction in 13.3% of families, especially those in which the mother plays the main role. The complexity of the caregiver role, which requires a balance between emotional support for the sick child, financial management and daily activities, contributed to these rates.
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