Current status and influence of positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the current status of positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema and to analyze its influencing factors.

METHODS

The study included 228 pairs of lymphedema patients and their primary family caregivers. The researchers used the General Information Questionnaire, the Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale, the Caregiver Burden Scale for Cancer Patients, the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Chinese Family Caregivers, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale to collect data. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to identify factors associated with the positive aspects of caregiving.

RESULTS

The results showed that the score for positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema was 32.20 ± 2.65. Multiple linear regression analysis identified the following factors as significant influencers of positive aspects of caregiving: the degree of lymphedema in the patient, caregiver literacy, average monthly income of the person, knowledge of the disease, caregiver burden, self-efficacy, and resilience (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Family caregivers of breast cancer-related lymphedema patients reported a moderate level of positive caregiving experiences, and healthcare professionals need to pay attention to caregivers' positive experiences and provide targeted guidance based on the influencing factors to improve their positive experiences and the overall quality of life of the family.