A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE STRESS, PREDICTORS OF STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH AUTOLOGOUS AND ALLOGENEIC BMT IN SELECTED ONCOLOGY HOSPITAL, KOLKATA

A descriptive comparative study was conducted to compare the level of stress, predictorsof stress and coping strategies among caregivers of patient with autologous and allogeneic BMT in selectedoncology hospital of Kolkata. Aim of the study was to find out and compare the stress, predictors of stress and coping strategies among caregivers.Forty-seven samples were selected from both the BMT groupsi.e.Autologous BMT- 10 and Allogeneic BMT - 37 through non- probability- purposive sampling technique fromTata Medical Center, Kolkata. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaire and record analysis using socio-demographic proforma, demographic proforma, PSS-10, predictors of stress and Brief COPE.Findings of the study showed that majority of the caregivers had moderate stress from both the groups. Also, this studyrevealed that t-test-0.84 which indicates that there was no significant difference in stressamong the caregivers of autologous and allogeneic BMT patients. Further, worrying about financial demands was most frequent predictors of stress.Findings of the study showed that majority of the caregivers have used problem-focused coping strategies in boththe groups.Results of chi-square test showed that in allogeneic BMT, there was association between coping strategies and socio-demographic variables whereas in autologous BMT, there was no significant association.The study concludes that there was no significant difference in level of stress of caregivers of patients with autologous and allogeneic BMT. There are several predictors of stress that are found in both autologous and allogeneic BMT for which majority of caregivers have used problem-focused coping strategies.