Current status and factors influencing readiness among primary caregivers of colorectal cancer patients

doi:10.4251/wjgo.v18.i6.117400

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World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology

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1948-5204

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

Observational Study

Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jun 15, 2026; 18(6): 117400
Published online Jun 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i6.117400

Current status and factors influencing readiness among primary caregivers of colorectal cancer patients

Fang-Ping Gu, Xin-Yin Zhang, Dong-Ai Jin, Qi Yao, Hai-Ye Hu, Jian-Fen Qin

Fang-Ping Gu, Xin-Yin Zhang, Dong-Ai Jin, Qi Yao, Hai-Ye Hu, Jian-Fen Qin, Department of Nursing, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China

Co-first authors: Fang-Ping Gu and Xin-Yin Zhang.

Co-corresponding authors: Dong-Ai Jin and Jian-Fen Qin.

Author contributions: Gu FP was responsible for data collection, organization, and analysis; Gu FP and Zhang XY conceived and designed the study, they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Jin DA was responsible for the design and implementation of the research methodology; Gu FP, Zhang XY, and Jin DA wrote the original draft; Yao Q was responsible for data validation and result verification; Hu HY and Qin JF reviewed and edited the manuscript; Zhang XY created the figures and charts; Jin DA and Qin JF they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-corresponding authors of this manuscript; Qin JF was responsible for project management and research supervision; and all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

AI contribution statement: AI tools (specifically Doubao and DeepL) were used solely for linguistic refinement and formatting assistance. No AI tool was involved in the generation of research data, interpretation of results, or formulation of conclusions. All AI-generated outputs were critically reviewed and revised by the authors.

Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China, approval No. 20221213-21.

Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from all of the participants in the study.

Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.

STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.

Data sharing statement: Data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Corresponding author: Dong-Ai Jin, Department of Nursing, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 368 Xiasha Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China. jinda@srrsh.com

Received: December 12, 2025
Revised: January 15, 2026
Accepted: March 16, 2026
Published online: June 15, 2026
Processing time: 179 Days and 1.3 Hours

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common digestive malignant tumor with a high incidence and mortality. Treatments mainly include surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and some postoperative patients need stoma care, which impairs their quality of life. Caregiver readiness involves addressing patients’ physical and emotional needs and improving patients’ well-being, yet relevant research on CRC primary caregivers remains limited.

AIM

To explore the readiness of primary caregivers of CRC patients and analyze the related influencing factors.

METHODS

A convenience sampling method was used to select 300 primary caregivers of CRC patients from the Department of Colorectal Surgery in a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province between January and October 2023. The study utilized a general information questionnaire, the Caregiver Preparedness Scale, the Family Caregiver Task Inventory, and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale for data collection. Univariate analysis and multiple stepwise linear regression analysis were performed to investigate the factors influencing caregiver readiness.

RESULTS

A total of 284 primary caregivers of CRC patients were included. The average score on the Caregiver Preparedness Scale was 18.93 ± 7.01, and 31.54 ± 24.25 on the Family Caregiver Task Inventory, which both indicated a moderate level. Factors influencing caregiver readiness included patient-related variables such as age, educational level, medical expense coverage, and disease progression, as well as caregiver-related variables such as marital status, place of residence, caregiving duration, understanding of the disease, emotional relationship with the patient, family caregiving ability, and anxiety levels.

CONCLUSION

The readiness of primary caregivers of CRC patients needs improvement. Healthcare professionals should design personalized and comprehensive nursing intervention programs targeting these influencing factors to enhance patient quality of life.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Caregiver readiness; Family Caregiving Capacity; Anxiety; Influencing factor analysis

Core Tip: This study enrolled 284 primary caregivers of colorectal cancer patients via convenience sampling. Relevant scales and questionnaires were used for data collection, with univariate analysis and multivariate stepwise linear regression performed. Results showed moderate caregiving readiness (18.93 ± 7.01) and family care ability (31.54 ± 24.25). Influencing factors included patients’ age, education, and caregivers’ marital status, caregiving duration, anxiety level.