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Family caregivers for adult cancer patients: knowledge and self-efficacy for pain management in a resource-limited setting

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Abstract

Adult cancer patients (ACPs) in resource-limited settings disproportionately suffer from inadequate pain control despite advancements in pain management. Family caregivers (FCGs) can support optimal pain control for ACPs in these settings if they are knowledgeable and confident about the needed care. However, the status of FCGs’ knowledge and self-efficacy (SE) for pain management in developing countries is not well established.

Purpose

To assess the FCGs’ knowledge and SE levels for pain management among ACPs while at home in a resource-limited setting.

Methods

Using a questionnaire that comprised a Family Pain Questionnaire and Chronic Pain Self-efficacy Scale, data were collected from 284 FCGs of ACPs receiving care from two cancer care centres.

Results

The FCGs had moderate knowledge (mean = 41.70 ± 14.1) and SE (mean = 795.95 ± 301.3) levels for pain management at home for ACPs. Majority of the FCGs had low knowledge (52.1%), but expressed higher SE (52.5%). Poor self-rated health among FCGs was significantly associated with low knowledge levels (OR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.024–2.978, p = 0.041). SE was significantly associated with perceiving a low impact of caregiving on health (OR = 1.55; 95% CI 1.074–2.239, p = 0.019), hours of caregiving per week (OR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.315–0.854; p = 0.01) and receiving organisational support (OR = 0.388; 95% CI 0.222–0.679; p = 0.001).

Conclusion

The results show a need for deliberate interventions to enhance FCG knowledge and SE for pain management at home as one of the ways of improving cancer pain management in resource-limited settings.

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Acknowledgements

The research did not receive any financial support. The FCGs of ACPs as well as the staff of UCI and HAU are appreciated for the support and contribution to the study. We wish to acknowledge Professors; M Grant, B Ferrell, B Given, Dorothy Luckie and Laura S. Porter for their permission to use the study tools.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are included within the article.

Funding

The study did not receive any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lecturer, Department of Adult Health and Critical Care, College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, P. O. Box 66, Alkhoud, Muscat, Oman

    Irene Betty Kizza

  2. Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

    Jeanette Maritz

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  1. Irene Betty Kizza
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Contributions

IBK wrote the concept of the study. All authors participated in designing the study, data analysis and drafting of the manuscript and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irene Betty Kizza.

Ethics declarations

The study was approved by HAU, UCI (REO/AC/02) and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (SS4003). The participants provided written informed consent.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors have full control of the primary data and agree to allow the journal to review the data if requested.

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Kizza, I.B., Maritz, J. Family caregivers for adult cancer patients: knowledge and self-efficacy for pain management in a resource-limited setting. Support Care Cancer 27, 2265–2274 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-018-4504-7

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