Quality of life among the family caregivers of patients with terminal cancer at home in Japan

Abstract

Aim: To identify the associated factors of quality of life (QOL) among the family caregivers of patients with terminal cancer at home.

Methods: The design was an epidemiological study with self-administered questionnaires by mail. Date collection was carried out in the Tokyo Metropolitan, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Nara, Hyogo, Kagawa, Ehime, and Saga prefectures in Japan. The participants who met the criteria for the present study were 262 family caregivers. Their QOL was assessed by the Japanese version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer. The potential factors that are associated with family caregivers' QOL included three factors: patient factors, including demographic characteristics and disease-related factors, family caregiver factors, including demographic characteristics, health conditions, and self-efficacy of family caregiving, and environmental factors, including instrumental, emotional, informational support, and satisfaction with the home care service. A multiple regression analysis was conducted in order to identify the associated factors with family caregivers' QOL.

Results: A total of 74 family caregivers participated in this study (response rate: 33.2%). The mean age of the family caregivers was 63.6 years and 79.7% was female. The multiple regression analysis indicated that depression, self-efficacy of family caregiving, the subcaregiver, and satisfaction with the home care service were associated with family caregivers' QOL.

Conclusion: It is recommended that health practitioners should develop interventions for family caregivers in order to enhance the competence of the individual and home care system in order to achieve the sustainability of high-quality home care for patients with terminal cancer and the family caregivers' QOL.

Keywords: family caregiver; home care; quality of life; terminal cancer.