Needs of family caregivers of advanced cancer patients: a survey in Shanghai of China
Open accessAbstract
It is important to understand the unmet needs of family caregivers of advanced cancer patients for developing and refining services to address the identified gaps in cancer care. To explore their needs in Chinese mainland and the possible factors associated with their needs, a self-developed questionnaire was used to survey a sample of 649 participants in 15 hospitals of Shanghai. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Fishers least significant difference t-test. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 13.0. Seven dimensions of needs (maintaining health, support from healthcare professionals, knowledge about the disease and treatment, support on funeral, information on hospice care, psychological support for patients and symptoms control for patients) were extracted from the results by factor analysis. The dimension with the highest score was 'knowledge about the disease and treatment' (4.37), and that with the lowest score named 'support on funeral' (2.85). The results showed that the factors including burden of payment for treatment, former caregiving experience of family caregivers and length of caregiving time were associated with their needs. Cancer services need to consider how to tailor resources and interventions to meet these needs of family caregivers of advanced cancer patients.
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Caregiver burden is well documented among cancer caregivers, who often report high levels of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
“Caregiver burden, defined as the perceived adverse effect of caregiving on emotional, social, financial, physical, and spiritual functioning, is well documented among cancer caregivers, who often report high levels of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.”
From The burdens, coping strategies, and unmet needs of family caregivers of Chinese patients with lymphoma receiving commercial CAR-T-cell therapy: A qualitative study (2026) · cites this paper as [22]
The Introduction (page unavailable) describes substantial emotional, social, physical, and financial burdens on family caregivers of cancer patients. It does not define burden to include spiritual functioning or say that caregivers often report high levels of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders; searches for those symptoms found no supporting passage. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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- Authors
- Cui, J., Song, L. J., Zhou, L. J., Meng, H., & Zhao, J. J.
- Affiliations
- Second Military Medical University (CN)
- Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Zhao, J.J.
- Venue
- European Journal of Cancer Care
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-01-14
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 562-569
- ISSN
- 0961-5423 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1895009906
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2025: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 8.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Cancer Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.70973136)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Keywords
- family caregivers, advanced cancer, caregiver needs, unmet needs, caregiver burden, financial burden of treatment, caregiver experiences, hospice care, psychological support, symptom management, disease knowledge, Shanghai
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Financial Support, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Patient Education as Topic, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Support, Caregivers, Hospice Care, Needs Assessment, Young Adult
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