Bahare Fallah - Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Research Center for Nursing and Midwifery Care, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Khadige Nasiriani - Department of Nursing, Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Research Center for Nursing and Midwifery Care, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mohammad Adham - Department of Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Ahmadreza Fallah Faragheh - Department of Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Fatemeh Fathi - Department of Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Farimah Shamsi - Center for Healthcare Data Modeling, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Akram Mehrabbeik - Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Background: Breast cancer patients’ caregivers seem to face several challenges and problems that affect their physical and mental health. Spiritual intelligence, as the foundation of individuals› beliefs, plays an essential role in promoting the mental health of caregivers. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between caregiver burden and spiritual intelligence in caregivers of breast cancer patients.Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on ۳۰۹ breast cancer caregivers at Shahid Ramezanzadeh Radiotherapy Center, Yazd, Iran, based on census method in ۲۰۲۰. Data were collected using three questionnaires: Demographic Information, caregiver burden inventory (CBI) and Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI). Statistical analyses were done using Spearman’s rank correlation, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test in SPSS-۲۰.Results: The mean total score of caregiver burden was ۴۸.۱۲ ± ۲۰.۹۳. The highest and the lowest mean scores were in the dimension of social pressure (۱۰.۳۳±۵.۰۹) and physical pressure (۸.۱۴±۴.۰۹), respectively. The mean total score of spiritual intelligence in caregivers was (۶۷.۳۲ ± ۳۰.۸۴). The highest mean score was in the transcendent awareness dimension (۲۰.۵۴ ± ۱۸.۷۵) and the lowest was in the personal meaning production dimension (۱۳.۰۷ ± ۶.۱۰). There was a significant inverse relationship between the mean total score of spiritual intelligence and caregiver burden (r=- ۰.۶۳, P<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: Caregivers of breast cancer patients who have more spiritual intelligence, experience less burden of care. In fact, higher levels of spiritual intelligence act as a protective factor against the burden of care. Therefore, strengthening spiritual intelligence in oncology and radiotherapy centers is recommended.

Breast, cancer, Caregiver burden, Spiritual intelligence