title: Do age and quality of life of patients with cancer influence quality of life of the caregiver?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are significant burdens associated with providing care for loved ones with cancer. However, caregiver quality of life (QOL) is often overlooked. With the increasing number of older adults with cancer, it is important to determine whether a patient's age and QOL have any association with the caregiver's QOL. The objective of our study was to describe caregiver QOL and explore whether patient age and other psychosocial factors impact caregiver QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline information from patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation and their caregivers, who were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a structured, multidisciplinary QOL intervention, was analyzed for this study. Caregivers completed the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) Scale. Both patients and caregivers completed the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA) to measure QOL, and Profile of Mood States (POMS) to measure mood states.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 131 patient-caregiver pairs participated in the study. At baseline, caregivers of older adults (≥65years) had higher mental (P=0.01), emotional (P=0.003), spiritual (P<0.01), and social support (P=0.03) LASA QOL scores. Caregivers of older adults also had higher baseline QOL (CQOLC, P=0.003) and mood (POMS, P=0.04) than caregivers of younger adults. Caregivers of patients with higher LASA QOL scores had higher overall (P=0.02), mental (P=0.006), physical (P=0.02), emotional (P=0.002), and spiritual LASA QOL scores (P=0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caregivers of older adults with advanced cancer demonstrated better QOL and fewer mood disturbances compared to caregivers of younger patients. When patients have good QOL, caregivers also had good QOL.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. Electronic address: lapid.maria@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lapid
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Jeff A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Teresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rummans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality
keywords: Informal caregiver; Intervention; Psychosocial; Well-being
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