Table 1 Adults with cancer and family caregiver characteristics (n = 641)
Characteristics | AC [n (%)]a | FC [n (%)]a |
|---|---|---|
Age (mean ± SD), years | 54.6 ± 12.9 (ranging from 18–88) | 46.6 ± 13.2 (ranging from 18 to 79) |
 <  30 years | 22 (3.4) | 84 (13.1) |
 30 ~ 45 years | 129 (20.1) | 220 (34.3) |
 46 ~ 60 years | 254 (39.6) | 210 (33.9) |
 >  60 years | 224 (34.9) | 105 (16.4) |
Gender | ||
 Male | 321 (50.1) | 311 (48.5) |
 Female | 318 (49.6) | 329 (51.3) |
Marital status | ||
 Married | 586 (91.4) | 571 (89.1) |
 Not marriedb | 55 (8.6) | 69 (10.8) |
FC relationship with adults with cancer | ||
 Spouse | 343 (53.5) | |
 Offspring | 215 (33.5) | |
 Parent | 20 (3.1) | |
 Sibling | 41 (6.4) | |
 Other | 21 (3.3) | |
Education levels | ||
 Primary school or less | 356 (55.5) | 256 (40.0) |
 High school | 198 (30.9) | 222 (34.6) |
 University or above | 85 (13.3) | 159 (24.8) |
Working status | ||
 Working | 373 (58.2) | 411 (64.1) |
 Not working | 263 (41.0) | 227 (35.4) |
Average time since diagnosis/duration in their role as a FC | 13.3 ± 24.0 months (ranging from 1 to 228 months) | <  6 months: 348 (54.3) |
6 months ~ 2 years: 192 (30.0) | ||
>  2 years ~ 5 years: 55 (8.6) | ||
>  5 years: 39 (6.1) | ||
Informed about the disease (n, percent)c | ||
 Ill-informed | 259 (40.4) | 154 (24.0) |
 Partly informed | 260 (40.6) | 283 (44.1) |
 Well- informed | 118 (18.4) | 203 (31.7) |
Time spent by FC in caring for patients/day [hours, n (%)] |  | < 2 h: 55 (8.6) |
2~4 h: 87 (13.6) | ||
> 4~6 h: 77 (12.0) | ||
> 6~8 h: 87 (13.6) | ||
> 8 h: 333 (52.0) | ||
Type of cancerd | ||
 Breast cancer | 70 (10.9) |  |
 Ovarian and cervical cancer | 93 (14.5) |  |
 Esophageal and gastric cancer | 152 (23.7) |  |
 Colorectal cancer | 86 (13.4) |  |
 Liver cancer | 59 (9.2) |  |
 Lung cancer | 88 (13.7) |  |
 Others | 76 (11.9) |  |
Type of treatment | ||
 Chemotherapy | 277 (43.2) |  |
 Chemotherapy +radiotherapy | 114 (17.8) |  |
 Chemotherapy+ surgery | 162 (25.3) |  |
 Chemotherapy+ others | 81 (12.6) |  |
Family Characteristicse | ||
Relationship with their family members pre-cancer (n, percent) | ||
 Very good | 471 (73.5) |  |
 Normal | 162 (25.3) |  |
 Poor | 8 (1.2) |  |
Relationship with their family members changed post-cancer (n, percent) | ||
 Improving | 219 (34.2) |  |
 No change | 389 (60.0) |  |
 worsening | 31 (4.8) |  |
Financial burden on the family due to cancer treatment | ||
 Serious | 414 (64.6) |  |
 Moderate | 191 (29.8) |  |
 Mild or None | 33 (5.1) |  |