Family caregiving in cancer pain management

The experience of cancer pain is known to greatly affect family caregivers as well as patients. There are many demands placed on caregivers of cancer patients with pain at home as a result of the shifting of care from the acute setting to the home. These complex demands significantly affect caregiver quality of life. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of pain management from the perspective of family caregivers of patients with cancer amidst the current healthcare environment. This quasi- experimental study involved 231 family caregivers of patients with cancer pain receiving home care. Family caregivers were assessed in conjunction with a pain education program that provided patient and family education regarding pain assessment, drug and nondrug interventions. Assessment measures used were the Quality of Life (QOL) - Family Caregiver Tool, Knowledge and Attitudes about Pain (K and A) Tool, and Caregiver Finances Tool. Study findings reveal disruption to family caregiver quality of life in the areas of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. There is also a continued need for education regarding cancer pain management. Comparison between patients and family caregivers demonstrates that pain impacts both the patient experiencing it and their caregivers.