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.