Caregiver assessment of patients with advanced cancer: concordance with patients, effect of burden and positivity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinicians and researchers often have to rely on information from caregivers to assess patients with advanced cancer. This study aims to assess the validity (using patients' assessment as the gold standard) of caregiver reports of patient concerns and the roles of caregiver burden and positivity.

Methods

A total of 64 advanced cancer patient and informal caregiver dyads were recruited from regional palliative care services and interviewed. Patients' outcomes were assessed with both the patient and the caregiver version of the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS); caregiver burden and positivity were collected with the Zarit Burden interview (ZBI) and three questions on achievements and relationships. The agreement between patient- and caregiver-rated POS was measured wi

SUBMITTER: Higginson IJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2435233 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature