The Effects of Stress and Stress Coping on Life Quality in Cancer Patients and Caregivers: A Dyadic Analysis Using an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study is to determine actor and partner effects of stress coping on quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients and their primary caregivers using an actor-partner independence model (APIM). METHODS: The subjects of this study were adults aged 19 years and over who visited a hospital. They were diagnosed with cancer and were treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. 137 patients with cancer and 137 caregivers were included in the study. RESULTS: Cancer patient stress had a direct effect on their stress coping (β=.42, p=.004). Primary caregiver stress also had a direct effect on their stress coping (β=.41, p < .001). Factors significantly affecting cancer patients' QoL were patient stress (β=−.14, p=.002), stress coping (β=.24, p < .001), and primary caregiver stress coping (β=.11, p=.021). Factors significantly affecting primary caregiver QoL were primary caregiver stress (β=−.22, p < .001) and their stress coping (β=.14, p=.009). CONCLUSION: In order to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and caregivers, it is necessary to consider cancer patients and caregivers as a unit when constructing intervention programs for stress management.