Caregiver Burden and Workplace Productivity Among Hospice Cancer Caregivers.

This article examines the relationship between caregiver burden and workplace productivity among family caregivers who are employed while providing home hospice care for individuals with cancer. Using baseline data from a longitudinal study of 30 working hospice cancer caregivers, the analysis found that higher caregiver burden, measured by the Zarit Burden Interview short form, was significantly associated with greater activity impairment, presenteeism (reduced effectiveness while at work), and overall work productivity loss, but not with absenteeism. The findings suggest that although burdened caregivers may not miss more workdays, their work performance is negatively affected. The study highlights the role of oncology and hospice nurses in assessing caregiver burden and facilitating referrals to community resources, and calls for further research with larger, more diverse samples to better understand these dynamics.