Resilience among Caregivers of the Pediatric Cancer Patients

Abstract

Studies portray that one in every nine Indians develops cancer during their lifetime. Admissions to the Pediatric Oncology departments are increasing like any other department. Cancer affects not only the patients but also their caregivers both physically and psychologically. In this scenario, the study aims to understand the caregivers’ level of resilience and the associated risk and protective factors. This descriptive study was conducted in Kerala. Sixty caregivers of the children in the age group between 1-17 years, diagnosed with cancer were selected for the study. Mexican Resilience Scale and self-prepared interview schedule were used to collect the quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected using an in-depth interview guide. The study found that the majority of the respondents are moderately resilient, with men exhibiting higher resilience than women. The prime factors contributing to resilience were identified as strength and self-confidence, social competence, family support, social support, and structure. The study further identified individual factors (flexibility, emotional stability, etc.), familial factors (positive family environment), and community factors (support from NGOs and support groups, etc.) as protective factors contributing to resilience. Additionally, the study revealed how individual (lack of emotional stability, introverted nature, etc.), familial (relationship issues), and community (social perceptions about the disease) levels of risk factors impact resilience. The importance of strengthening the support systems around the caregivers and importance of oncology social worker to deal with the psychosocial issues of patients and caregivers are also discussed in this paper.