title: Quality of Life of Family Members Living with Cancer Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the rapid progress of industrialization, the expansion of the nuclear family, and an increase in women's social activities, the burden of care of cancer patients has increased, so that all family members are now involved in care. We compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between members of families of cancer patients (hereafter, cancer families) and members of cancer-free families (non-cancer families).
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were from the Community Health Survey (2012). The study population included respondents at least 30 years of age. Data were adjusted for the following covariates: sex, age, education, marital status, household income, economic activity, household type, chronic disease, and perceived health status. Frequency analysis, analyses of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 163,495 respondents, 3,406 (2.1%) were part of a cancer family and 160,089 (97.9%) were part of a non-cancer family. Cancer families had lower EQ-5D scores than non-cancer families. However, by subgroup, the scores had significant association between cancer and non-cancer families only for females and for those who worked.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a significant relationship between HRQOL scores and being a family member of a cancer patient. This indicates that the responsibility for care has been extended to the entire family, not only the primary caregiver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea E-mail : leevan@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Hyo Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D009679:Nuclear Family; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012737:Sex Factors