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The aim of this study was to translate the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer into Turkish and test the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer in Turkey.Cancer is a chronic illness that affects the entire family and deteriorates the quality of life of cancer caregivers. The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer is a widely used instrument to measure quality of life in cancer caregivers. Therefore, identifying and increasing quality of life benefits of cancer caregivers.Methodological research design.This study describes the translation process of The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer into Turkish and testing its reliability and validity on quality of life in cancer caregivers. The questionnaire was translated using a back-translation technique. The statistical analysis was carried out using Cronbach's alpha to test the internal consistency of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale while confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were carried out using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser Normalization to test its construct validity.The Cronbach's alpha was found to be reliability for the total scale was 0.88 and subscale alpha coefficients ranged from 0.73-0.83. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in four factor structure: burden, distruptiveness, positive adaptation and financial concerns.The effects of providing care for patients with cancer on caregiver quality of life have not yet been adequately explored in Turkey. The results of this study suggest that the Turkish version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer is a reliable and valid supplementary measure of the quality of life in cancer caregivers in Turkey. RELEVANCE OF CLINICAL PRACTICE: In research and practice, valid measurement instruments are needed to assess Quality of Life in Turkish cancer caregivers. The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale is simple to administer and nurses by using this equipment in routine appointments will be able to better identify caregiver at risk for developing cancer related distress and worse Quality of Life.

To determine the effect of hospitalization in the internal disease clinics on nutrition variables.This study was a cohort-type study performed in the Internal Diseases Clinics, University Hospital in Turkey. We included 208 patients who were hospitalized in the Internal Diseases Clinics of the University between June and August 2003. The clinical nutrition parameters of all the patients were evaluated from anthropometric measurements and laboratory results at admission and discharge.Of 208, 105 were females, and 103 were males. The average age was 57 +/- 13.5 (18-85) years. Average hospitalization period of the cases was 14 +/- 10 (1-73) days. While the average body weight at admission was 71.6 +/- 10.9 kg and it was found to be 70.7 +/- 1.3 kg at discharge (paired sample t test, p0.001). We noted the statistically significant decrease in the body mass index, waist and hip measures, muscle-skin folds thickness, and body adipose mass (p0.05). Decreases were observed in all the clinical parameters of laboratory test results of the patients indicating end products of fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism (p0.05). It was observed that the demographic characteristics of the patients (age, gender, occupation, education, and so forth) did not affect the decrease in nutritional parameters (p0.05).It was observed that decreases occurred in all the nutrition parameters of the patients who were hospitalized in the internal diseases clinics. It is suggested that these decreases are related to entire fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. Nutritional parameters of patients should be followed during hospitalization with the purpose of preventing regression in nutrition parameters.