Correlation Between Illness Uncertainty in Caregivers of Patients with Liver Cancer, Their Coping Styles, and Quality of Life

Abstract

Xuan Wang,1,* Jing-Xian Hu,2,* Ying Wang,1 Fang Wang,1 Xuan Wu,1 Fei Wang,1 Yan-Chao Zhao,1 Xiao-Lan Wang,2 Li-Li Zhang2 1Second Department of Hepatology Center for Liver Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nursing, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Li-Li Zhang; Jing-Xian Hu, Department of Nursing, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 of Xitoutiao, Youanmen wai, FengtaiDistrict, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: This study explores the correlation between coping style, quality of life, and illness uncertainty in the family caregivers of patients with liver cancer.Methods: Employing convenience sampling, 210 family caregivers of patients with liver cancer who met the admission criteria were selected from a grade A infectious disease hospital in Beijing between January and December 2022. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Caregiver Quality of Life, and the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale for Family Members. This study analysed the correlations between coping styles, quality of life, and illness uncertainty in these caregivers.Results: The study found that family caregivers of patients with liver cancer had average scores for illness uncertainty (83.44 ± 11.86), coping style (33.19 ± 9.79; both positive [23.02 ± 6.81] and negative [10.17 ± 5.05]), and quality of life (169.53 ± 32.46). A negative association was observed between illness uncertainty in these caregivers and positive coping style (r = − 0.207, p = 0.003), physical status (r = − 0.182, p = 0.008), psychological status (r = − 0.200, p = 0.004), and social adaptation (r = − 0.229, p = 0.001).Conclusion: The study concludes that illness uncertainty in family caregivers of patients with liver cancer is at a moderate level. Furthermore, there is a notable correlation between illness uncertainty, coping style, and quality of life in these caregivers.Keywords: liver cancer, family caregivers, uncertainty in illness, coping style, quality of life

Keywords

• liver cancer
• family caregivers
• uncertainty in illness
• coping style
• quality of life