Impact of fear of recurrence in patients with cancer on caregivers' psychological health: A meta-analysis

Yue Shi; Jingjing Dai; Benxin Kuai; Xiaoqin Su; Runze Yang; Shujin Gong; Yujie Guo

doi:10.1016/j.apjon.2023.100299

Impact of fear of recurrence in patients with cancer on caregivers' psychological health: A meta-analysis

Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs. 2023 Aug 25;10(10):100299. doi: 10.1016/j.apjon.2023.100299. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Yue Shi¹, Jingjing Dai², Benxin Kuai¹, Xiaoqin Su¹, Runze Yang¹, Shujin Gong¹, Yujie Guo¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine (School of Nursing), Nantong University, Nantong, China.
² Department of Oral Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to quantitatively investigate the relationship between fear of cancer recurrence in patients with cancer and their caregivers' psychological health, examining the extent of the impact of this fear on caregivers.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from inception until May 2023 for relevant English publications. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were utilized as effect sizes to assess the overall relationship between fear of recurrence and psychological outcomes among caregivers of patients with cancer.

Results: A total of 19 eligible studies were included in the analysis. The findings revealed a moderate positive correlation between fear of recurrence in patients with cancer and caregivers' fear of recurrence and depression. A relatively weaker correlation was observed between patients' fear of recurrence and caregivers' anxiety. Due to considerable heterogeneity (I² = 91.99%, Q = 212.23), the primary outcome of fear of recurrence in patients with cancer influencing caregivers' fear of recurrence was examined through subgroup analyses.

Conclusions: Our meta-analysis established a significant positive correlation between fear of recurrence in patients with cancer and negative psychological consequences among caregivers, including recurrence fear, depression, and anxiety. Future research should explore the evolution of adverse psychological outcomes in both patients with cancer and their caregivers over time and delve into the bivariate psychological impact within the patient-caregiver dyads.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD42022383866.

Keywords: Caregivers; Fear of cancer recurrence; Meta-analysis; Patients with cancer; Psychological health.

Publication types

Review