Levels of Care Burden and Self-efficacy for Informal Caregiver of Patients With Cancer

This descriptive study was conducted to determine the levels of self-efficacy and caregiver burden experienced by caregivers for patients with cancer. The study was conducted at the oncology clinic of a hospital in Erzurum city, Turkey. The study sample consisted of 101 caregivers of patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of cancer. The Self-Efficacy Scale Turkish version and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, which is a sociodemographic questionnaire, were used for data collection. The level for the burden of care for caregivers to patients with cancer was moderate, and the level of self-efficacy was moderate. A statistically significant, positive relationship was found between the scores for the Care Burden Scale and the Completing Behavior Subscale (r = 0.213; P < .05). A statistically significant, negative relationship was observed between the mean scores of the Care Burden Scale with Self-Efficacy Scale's total score (r = -0.104; P < .05), Sustaining Behavior Subscale (r = -0.324; P < .01), and Initiating Behavior Subscale (r = -0.199; P <= .05). Therefore, initiatives focused on self-efficacy levels should be developed to increase the abilities of caregivers for patients with cancer.