Kim Juyeun, Lee Sangmi
College of Nursing, Dongyang University, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea.
PLoS One. 2025 May 2;20(5):e0321900. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321900. eCollection 2025.
This study was conducted to explore the unmet needs and health-related quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers who support cancer patients, and to determine the impact of these unmet needs on their health-related QOL. A descriptive study was conducted from July 1 to July 30, 2023, in which a survey was administered to 129 family caregivers of cancer patients undergoing outpatient treatment at a general hospital of South Korea. The effect of unmet needs on health-related QOL was analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analysis, while controlling for covariates such as the general characteristics of the participants. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that unmet needs significantly impacted health-related QOL. The final regression model explained a substantial portion of the variance in health-related QOL, with an R-squared value of.466 (46.6%). Unmet needs of health and psychological problems (β = -.37) as well as religious/spiritual support (β = -.20) had a significant independent effect on the health-related QOL of family caregivers of cancer patients. Additionally, the health-related QOL of caregivers was significantly better when they did not live with the patient (β = .29) and when they had higher income levels (β = .18) for incomes between 300-500 million won, and β = .29 for incomes of 500 million won or more, compared to those earning less than 100 million won). The health-related QOL of family caregivers for cancer patients can be adversely affected by unmet needs, including health and psychological problems as well as religious and spiritual support. It is therefore necessary to develop and implement support programs or systems that promote physical, psychological, and spiritual health for these caregivers.
本研究旨在探讨支持癌症患者的家庭照顾者未满足的需求及与健康相关的生活质量（QOL），并确定这些未满足的需求对其与健康相关的生活质量的影响。2023年7月1日至7月30日进行了一项描述性研究，对韩国一家综合医院接受门诊治疗的129名癌症患者的家庭照顾者进行了调查。在控制参与者的一般特征等协变量的同时，使用逐步多元回归分析来分析未满足的需求对与健康相关的生活质量的影响。逐步多元回归分析显示，未满足的需求对与健康相关的生活质量有显著影响。最终回归模型解释了与健康相关的生活质量方差的很大一部分，决定系数R²值为0.466（46.6%）。健康和心理问题方面的未满足需求（β = -0.37）以及宗教/精神支持方面的未满足需求（β = -0.20）对癌症患者家庭照顾者与健康相关的生活质量有显著的独立影响。此外，与收入低于1亿韩元的照顾者相比，不住在患者身边的照顾者（β = 0.29）以及收入水平较高的照顾者（收入在3亿至5亿韩元之间时β = 0.18，收入在5亿韩元及以上时β = 0.29）的与健康相关的生活质量明显更好。癌症患者家庭照顾者与健康相关的生活质量可能会受到包括健康和心理问题以及宗教和精神支持等未满足需求的不利影响。因此，有必要制定和实施促进这些照顾者身体、心理和精神健康的支持计划或系统。
