The aim of this study was to explore the significance of fatigue among relatives of palliative patients.

This pilot study has a descriptive and cross-sectional design and is the report of four open-ended questions focusing on the relatives' experiences of fatigue. The study population consisted of relatives of patients who were cared for in palliative care settings either at home or in an institution in Uppsala County during a specific day.

The relatives were very tired and identified worries, uncertainty, the patient's suffering, and many demands as the causes for the fatigue. The most obvious consequences of the tiredness were a lack of motivation, feelings of insufficiency and apathy, and putting their own interests aside. Many relatives expressed that having the company of close family members, taking exercise and spending time outdoors gave them strength to carry on. The health care system could make the situation easier for relatives of patients in palliative care by providing good care for the patient, and psychosocial support and respite care for the relatives.

The result of the pilot study is only preliminary, but it showed that relatives caring for patients in a late palliative phase suffer from great fatigue and require more attention, both scientifically and in the clinical settings.

The relatives’ burdens in palliative care are considerable and may cause fatigue. The overall aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of fatigue in relatives of patients cared for in palliative care settings.

This study has a descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of relatives of all patients cared for in palliative care settings in Uppsala County during a specific day. Relatives completed a questionnaire consisting of the Multidimensional Fatique Inventory (MFI-20) and questions from the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) and Karolinska Sleep questionnaire (KSQ).

Relatives (n = 56) scored high on every dimension on the MFI-20 scale. Two significant negative correlations were found to exist between age and fatigue, with younger relatives reporting more mental fatigue (p < .01) and more reduced activity (p < .01) than older relatives. Relatives of patients in institutional care had higher values concerning mental fatigue (p < .01) and reduced motivation (p < .05). Relatives of mostly bedridden patients were significantly more tired but did not have significantly less motivation than relatives of mostly ambulatory patients.

The findings imply that fatigue is highly prevalent in relatives of patients in palliative care. The sample in this study scored higher in comparison with norm values and also in comparison with relatives of patients with end-stage renal disease. Their scores were similar to those of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.