Quality of Life and Influencing Factors in Caregivers of Patients with Cancer

Objective: The aim of our study was to define the factors influencing the quality of life in caregivers of patients with cancer. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: Using a simple random sampling, we recruited 112 patients with cancer hospitalized in Ear Nose Throat (ENT) inpatients department at a university hospital and their caregivers. Data was collected by administering Patient and Caregiver Information Form and Quality of Life Family Version. Results: It was found that mean Quality of Life Family Version scores of caregivers were within the midrange. Factors related to the patient as ‘‘whether they have children or not, the number of children they have, employment status, level of income, certain symptoms’’ and factors related to caregivers as ‘‘gender, whether they have children or not, living in same house with the patient, being diagnosed with a chronic disease, being responsible for care of more than one individual’’ were found to affect life quality of caregivers. Conclusion: There are biological, psychological, sociocultural, environmental and political-economic factors which have an effect on life quality of primary caregivers of patients with cancer. These factors should be taken into consideration when meeting the needs of patients with cancer and their caregivers