Cancer-related fatigue in hospitalised patients treated for lymphoma and its burden on family caregivers

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients with lymphoma and to explore the burden of CRF on the family caregivers (FCs). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in China. Patients with lymphoma who received treatment in the in-patient ward of the Haematology Department were consecutively recruited. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to gather information related to the patients' sociodemographic characteristics and perceived CRF and its burden on the FCs. Cochran-Armitage trend analysis and Multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association between CRF and the FCs' burden. Results: Of the 116 cancer patient-FC dyads, about 70% of patients experienced some level of fatigue, while 51% of unpaid family members suffered some degree of depression. The Cochran-Armitage trend analysis showed that the FCs' burden significantly increased with the severity of CRF. Logistic regression indicated that the FCs of the patients reporting fatigue experienced a higher burden in both the unadjusted and adjusted models. Conclusion: The prevalence of CRF appeared to be high among patients with lymphoma. It might be important to design innovative health-promoting practices for ameliorating or preventing the impact of fatigue.