Abstract
BACKGROUND: Family caregivers ('carers') bear the highest care burden during the postoperative survivorship period of pancreatic cancer, given its poor prognosis. Most carers report unmet needs when taking on caregiving responsibilities during this period. Thoroughly investigating carers' needs is essential for helping families address practical care challenges. However, this important topic remains underexplored. OBJECTIVE: To assess the need levels and identify need subgroups among carers of patients with pancreatic cancer 6 months after surgery and demographic predictors contributing to heterogeneity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: Participants were recruited from the pancreas centres of four tertiary A-level comprehensive hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: 240 patients with pancreatic cancer and their carers ('dyads') participated in the survey. METHODS: Carers completed the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in Cancer for Carers, the Activities of Daily Living Scale for patients, and the General Demographic Information Questionnaire for dyads. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to categorise carers' needs. Non-parametric and chi-square tests were used to examine differences in need scores and sociodemographic characteristics among subgroups. Multiple logistic regression (MLR) was used to analyse sociodemographic impacts. RESULTS: Six months post-surgery, the total carers' need score was 41.83 ± 22.65 points, indicating a moderate level, with the highest needs reported for healthcare personnel, information and knowledge, and facilities and services. The LPA results revealed that carers were divided into five distinct subgroups based on differing levels of need across the domains assessed by the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in Cancer for Carers, with proportions of 8.8 %, 22.5 %, 8.3 %, 55 %, and 5.4 %. Subgroup membership was predicted by four factors: carers' sex (odds ratio [OR]: 11.08, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.64, 74.99, p = 0.01), carers' education levels (OR: 3.92, 95 % CI: 1.04, 14.72, p = 0.04), patients' treatment after surgery (OR: 0.10, 95 % CI: 0.01, 0.84, p = 0.04) and activities of daily living levels (OR: 14.63, 95 % CI: 1.97, 108.77, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We have highlighted the complex individualised needs of carers of patients with pancreatic cancer. Through LPA and MLR, we identified distinct need subgroups and their predictors. Healthcare professionals may be able to improve dyads' health by tailoring support to each subgroup's specific needs and issues. REGISTRATION: Registration number: ChiCTR2400079415, registered 03/01/2024, first recruitment 04/02/2024.