Caregiver Burden and Neuro-Oncology Patient Function: Impacts on Relationship Quality

Prior work has identified the protective effects of relationship quality on cancer outcomes. However, less work has focused on how the cancer experience can change relationship quality.

To describe neuro-oncology patient-caregiver relationship quality over time and identify the impact of caregiver burden and patient physical and cognitive function on perceptions of relationship quality.

This is a secondary analysis of data obtained at enrollment and 8 weeks. Actor-partner interdependence models of patient and caregiver ratings of their relationship to each other (Couples Satisfaction Index) over time also included baseline measures of patient cognitive and physical function (Neuro-QOL), caregiver burden (Zarit), and change in these measures.

Data from 124 neuro-oncology patient-caregiver dyads were analyzed. Relationship quality at both time points, on average, indicated non-distressed relationships, but patients rated relationship quality significantly better than caregivers. Both rated relationship quality significantly worse over time (p values < 0.022). At baseline, caregiver burden was significantly negatively associated with patient (p = 0.014) and caregiver relationship quality (p < 0.001). Patient and caregiver baseline relationship quality predicted their own 8-week scores (actor effect; p values < 0.001). Baseline patient cognitive function (p = 0.011) and change in patient cognitive function (p = 0.039) were positively associated with 8-week patient relationship quality. Change in caregiver burden was negatively associated with 8-week caregiver relationship quality (p < 0.001).

Prior research has largely focused on relationship quality as a resource, but factors associated with the cancer experience may impact perceptions of relationship quality. Lowering caregiver burden may be beneficial to preserving this important coping resource.