Quality of Life of Caregivers of Patients with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study examines how the quality of life of cancer caregivers is affected by patient and caregiver characteristics.

Contribution

Identifies specific sociodemographic and patient-related factors influencing caregivers' quality of life.

Findings

Older age and female caregivers reported lower quality of life.

Caring for patients with hematological malignancies was linked to poorer caregiver outcomes.

Female patients were associated with better caregiver quality of life.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Cancer is a chronic and serious disease that has a wide range of effects on patients, some of which extend to family members and primary caregivers (PCs), thereby affecting their quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the QOL of PCs of patients with cancer and to investigate the sociodemographic and other factors that impact PCs’ QOL. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Princess Noura Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, and included 235 PCs. A short-form health survey—the SF-36, which includes eight domains—was used to measure the QOL of patients’ PCs. Results: The relationship between the QOL of PCs and the characteristics of patients and PCs was examined. The QOL of PCs was associated with several variables. Multiple regression analysis showed that older age, female sex, and caring for patients with hematological malignancies were independent, significant variables associated with lower PCs’ QOL, whereas PCs caring for female patients experienced a better QOL. Conclusions: These findings highlight the essential aspects of caregivers’ QOL and their influencing factors. To better understand the implications of these factors, future studies are required to demonstrate the effects of patient- and disease-related factors on PCs’ QOL.