Family caregivers burden and quality of life among gastric cancer patients: The mediating role of psychological resilience based on Lazarus's transactional model

Abstract

Background Currently, the incidence of gastric cancer in China is increasing, and with prolonged survival times, the nursing tasks and responsibilities that family caregivers need to undertake are becoming increasingly significant. The level of care provided by this group has a crucial impact on patients’ health-related outcomes. Therefore, decreasing caregivers’ life burden and improving their quality of life is vital for promoting patient recovery. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of caregiver burden on the quality of life of patients with gastric cancer, and to explore the mediating role of psychological resilience in this relationship. Methods Data collection was conducted in the gastrointestinal surgery ward of a Grade III A hospital. 189 family caregivers of gastric cancer patients were surveyed using scales measuring caregiver burden, psychological resilience, and quality of life. Structural equation modeling was employed to validate the research hypotheses proposed, based on Lazarus’s transactional model. Results Caregiver burden was negatively correlated with psychological resilience and positively correlated with quality of life (p < .01). Psychological resilience plays a partial mediating role between caregiver burden and quality of life. Conclusion Caregiver burden is the key to predicting and reducing the quality of life of caregivers of gastric cancer patients. Psychological resilience is an intervention mechanism that explains how caregiver burden reduces caregiver quality of life in patients with gastric cancer.