Self-perceived burden to others: Patient and, family caregiver correlates

Aims: To provide further evidence about-the prevalence and correlates of the sense of "self-perceived burden" (SPB) to others, and to examine its association with caregiver reports of burden. Methods: The participants were 65 patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. Patients completed measures of SPB and family members completed a caregiver burden scale. Results: SPB was experienced at minimal to mild levels by 35% of patients, and at moderate to extreme levels by another 28%. It was correlated with some physical symptoms, but more frequently with psychological symptoms. The family members of patients who reported that SPB was a significant problem had higher scores on the caregiver burden scale than family members of other patients (p=0.048), although the overall correlation was modest. Conclusions: SPB is a common and distressing concern for many patients receiving palliative care and is associated with a number of other distressing concerns.