Current status and factors influencing readiness among primary caregivers of colorectal cancer patients

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BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common digestive malignant tumor with a high incidence and mortality. Treatments mainly include surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and some postoperative patients need stoma care, which impairs their quality of life. Caregiver readiness involves addressing patients’ physical and emotional needs and improving patients’ well-being, yet relevant research on CRC primary caregivers remains limited. AIM To explore the readiness of primary caregivers of CRC patients and analyze the related influencing factors. METHODS A convenience sampling method was used to select 300 primary caregivers of CRC patients from the Department of Colorectal Surgery in a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province between January and October 2023. The study utilized a general information questionnaire, the Caregiver Preparedness Scale, the Family Caregiver Task Inventory, and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale for data collection. Univariate analysis and multiple stepwise linear regression analysis were performed to investigate the factors influencing caregiver readiness. RESULTS A total of 284 primary caregivers of CRC patients were included. The average score on the Caregiver Preparedness Scale was 18.93 ± 7.01, and 31.54 ± 24.25 on the Family Caregiver Task Inventory, which both indicated a moderate level. Factors influencing caregiver readiness included patient-related variables such as age, educational level, medical expense coverage, and disease progression, as well as caregiver-related variables such as marital status, place of residence, caregiving duration, understanding of the disease, emotional relationship with the patient, family caregiving ability, and anxiety levels. CONCLUSION The readiness of primary caregivers of CRC patients needs improvement. Healthcare professionals should design personalized and comprehensive nursing intervention programs targeting these influencing factors to enhance patient quality of life.