Family Caregivers of People Living With Glioblastoma Report Low Palliative Care Utilization and Limited Discussions About Palliative Care With Members of the Healthcare Team: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BackgroundGlioblastoma is an aggressive, incurable, primary brain cancer associated with substantial symptom burden and reliance on family care partners/caregivers (CP/CG) throughout the illness trajectory. Palliative care can improve symptom management and quality of life for people with serious illness and their families. This study examined CP/CG reported palliative care utilization, understanding of palliative care, and the discussions about palliative care with members of the healthcare team.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was administered between January and February 2024 to adult CP/CG of adults living with glioblastoma recruited through online caregiver support groups. The 38-item survey collected demographic information and caregiver-reported experiences related to palliative care utilization, discussions about palliative care, and supportive care needs. Descriptive statistics and tests of association were performed.ResultsFamily CP/CG (n = 75) reported low involvement of palliative care (28%). A significant association was observed between caregiver-reported discussions about palliative care and utilization of palliative care services (χ2 = 34.31, P < .001). Fewer than 10% of CP/CG correctly identified all WHO-defined functions of palliative care. CP/CG also reported unmet supportive care needs, particularly related to physical and emotional support, symptom management, and treatment side effect management.ConclusionsFamily CP/CG of people living with glioblastoma reported low utilization of palliative care services, limited discussions about palliative care with members of the healthcare team, and persistent misconceptions regarding its role. These findings highlight opportunities to improve communication about palliative care and strengthen supportive care services for people living with glioblastoma and their caregivers.