Employment Status and Work-Related Difficulties among Family Members of Terminally Ill Patients Compared with the General Population
- Author(s)
- Seon Young Kim; Yoon-Jung Chang; Young Rok Do; Sam Yong Kim; Sang Yoon Park; Hyun Sik Jeong; Jung Hun Kang; Si-Yung Kim; Jung
Sil Ro; Jung Lim Lee; Woo Jin Lee; Sook Ryun Park; Young Ho Yun
- Keimyung Author(s)
- Do, Young Rok
- Department
- Dept. of Internal Medicine (내과학)
- Journal Title
- Asian Pac J Cancer Prev.
- Issued Date
- 2013
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Abstract
- Background: Although caregiving to patients with terminal illness is known to be a stressful burden
to family members, little attention has been focused on work-related problems. We aimed to investigate
employment status and work-related difficulties of family caregivers of terminal cancer patients, comparing
with the general population. Methods: Using structured questionnaires, we assessed family caregivers of
481 cancer patients determined by physicians to be terminally ill, from 11 university hospitals and the
National Cancer Center in Korea. Results: Among 381 family caregivers of terminal cancer patients
(response rate, 87.6%), 169 (43.9%) were not working before cancer diagnosis, but currently 233 (63.7%)
were not working. Compared with the general population (36.5%), the percentage of not working among
the family caregivers was higher (OR=2.39; 95%CI= 1.73-3.29). A major reason for not working was to
provide assistance to the patients (71.6%). 40.6% of those who continued working and 32.3% of those
who not working family members reported extreme fatigue. Caregivers of old age, those who were female,
those with a lower household income, and those caring for patients with a low performance status were not
working at a more significant rate. Conclusion: Family caregivers of terminal cancer patients suffer job loss
and severe work-related difficulties, probably due to caregiving itself and to fatigue. We need to develop
supportive programs to overcome the burden of caregivers of the terminally ill.
Key words: Terminal cancer patient - caregiver - employment status - work-related difficulty
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