Trajectories of Resilience and Associated Factors in Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Oral Cavity Cancer

Trajectories of Resilience and Associated Factors in Caregivers of Patients with Advanced Oral Cavity Cancer

Shu-Ching Chen RN, PhD, Professor, Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan

Abstract

Background: Advanced oral cavity cancer patients received anti-cancer treatments lead to physical and psychological distress and depend on caregivers, and caregiving burden affect caregivers’ resilience.

Objectives: The purposes of the study were to identify trajectories of resilience and related factors over six months in primary caregivers of patients with advanced oral cavity cancer during the survival period.

Methods: This study was a longitudinal prospective design. Study was conducted to recruited subjects from RT outpatients department and cancer center in a medical center in northern Taiwan. Eligible subjects were assessed for the Instrument Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), and background information form. Primary caregivers were assessed the related variables using the Resilience Scale (RS), Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), Distress Thermometer (DT), Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS SS), and a background information form. Caregivers’ caregiving burden and resilience were assessed at four time points: end of treatment, 1, 3, and 6-months after completing treatment. The generalized estimating equation was used to determine predictive factors of resilience.

Results: Resilience was slight increase from T1 to T2 and peaked at T3, and declined at T4, and the level at T3 was lower than that at T0. Caregiving burden declined significantly from T0 to T3. Primary caregiver’ resilience was associated with patient’ higher level of physical performance, patient’ greater activity daily living, caregiver’ greater social support, and caregiver’ better mental-quality of life.

Conclusions: Patient’ physical performance, patient’ activity daily living and caregiver’ social support were associated with caregiver’ resilience. Survivorship care plan are recommended to help cope with caregiving burden and enhance their resilience.

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Keywords: Caregiver, Oral cavity cancer, Social Support, Resilience, Caregiving burden.