The dyadic relationship of supportive care needs with quality of life in lung cancer survivor and spousal caregiver couples

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the dyadic interrelationships between supportive care needs (SCNs) and quality of life (QOL) among lung cancer (LC) survivors and their spousal caregivers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 443 dyads were recruited from three tertiary hospitals in two cities (Fuzhou and Putian) in Fujian Province, China, between May 2020 and May 2021. The study shows that participants completed a sociodemographic information sheet, the SCNs survey, and answered the Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire by telephone. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlations. This study used the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) with dyad analysis to examine the effect of LC survivors and spouses unmet SCNs on QOL. RESULTS: LC survivor's and spouse's QOL levels were influenced by the level of unmet SCNs (the actor effect). LC survivors unmet SCNs were significantly negatively associated with their spouse's QOL (the partner effect). There were no partner effects between the spouse's unmet SCNs and the LC survivor's QOL. The APIM model produced an acceptable model fit [χ(2)/df = 2.84 (147), comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.94, Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = 0.93, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.07]. CONCLUSIONS: The level of unmet SCNs significantly affected QOL in survivor and spouse dyads. Although partner effects were weaker than actor effects, healthcare providers should develop tailored LC dyadic self- and family-management interventions to provide SCN-driven care to LC survivors and their spouses.