Trajectories of resilience and related factors in primary caregivers of patients with advanced head and neck cancer: A longitudinal cohort study.

Purpose: Primary caregivers (PC) of patients with advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) report stress during caregiving time post-treatment. We sought to identify the trajectories of resilience from initial completion of treatment to 1-year post-treatment in PC of patients with advanced HNC and to determine the factors associated with trajectories of resilience.
Design: In this prospective cohort study with convenience sampling, patient-PC dyads were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan between August 2015 and July 2020.
Methods: We recruited 120 patient-PC dyads and followed up at treatment completion and 1, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. Generalized estimating equation analysis was performed to identified factors related to resilience.
Findings: PCs' overall resilience increased from initial completion of treatment to peak at 1-year post-treatment. Patient factors associated with greater overall resilience included older age, higher performance status, and shorter time since cancer diagnosis; PC factors included reporting more social support, better physical health, and better mental health.
Conclusions: PC mental health was the most important factor in the resilience trajectory of patients with advanced HNC cancer.
Clinical Relevance: Quantifying the relevant factors of trajectories of resilience will help to identify vulnerable PCs and guide survivorship care in the early stages of the post-treatment period.
(© 2021 Sigma Theta Tau International.)