Quality of life and satisfaction with care among family caregivers of patients with recurrent or metastasized digestive cancer requiring palliative care

Satisfaction with care is thought to be important for quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers of patients with recurrent or metastasized digestive cancer requiring palliative care. This study aimed to clarify (1) family caregivers’ QOL status and (2) factors related to their QOL, including satisfaction with care.

Data were collected from 111 family caregivers of patients with recurrent or metastasized digestive cancer. The Short-Form 36 (SF-36) (acute version) was used to measure QOL.

Family caregivers’ QOL was lower than the national average (Cohen’s d = 0.12–0.66). Lower age of patients and family caregivers (standardized regression coefficient (β) = −0.18, β = −0.26) and family caregivers’ perceived health (β = 0.22) were related to better physical health of family caregivers, but satisfaction with care was not related to physical health. However, family caregivers’ mental health was related to their satisfaction with care (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (r) = 0.49–0.61, standardized regression coefficient (β) = 0.24–0.42), as well as higher age of family caregivers (β = 0.25), their perceived health (β = 0.30), non-spousal caregiver (β = −0.20), patient lacking a history of surgery aimed at radical treatment (β = −0.22), and patient not hospitalized solely for symptom relief (β = −0.10).

Family caregivers of patients with recurrent or metastasized digestive cancer requiring palliative care had lower QOL, both physically and mentally, than the national average. Improvements in satisfaction with care may contribute to improved QOL.