Latent profiles of parenting concerns among young and middle-aged cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

Parenting concerns, as a negative emotion, is prevalent among young and middle-aged cancer patients with minor children, significantly impacting their normal cancer treatment. However, quantitative studies on the current status and influencing factors of parenting concerns in young and middle-aged cancer patients are relatively rare. This paper aims to explore the latent categories and influencing factors of parenting concerns in young and middle-aged cancer patients, thus providing a theoretical guidance for implementing targeted intervention measures in the patients. From October 2022 to June 2023, a total of 211 young and middle-aged cancer patients hospitalized in a tertiary-level hospital in Jiangsu Province were selected as the study subjects by using a convenience sampling method. The Chinese version of Parenting Concerns Questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used for investigations. A latent profile analysis of parenting concerns in young and middle-aged cancer patients were conducted, and different categories of influencing factors were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The parenting concerns of young and middle-aged cancer patients were classified into 3 latent categories: low parenting concern (group A), medium parenting concern -being concerned about their partners (group B), and high parenting concern -being concerned about their children (group C). Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with group A, the number of children, subjective support and depression were risking factors to group B (all P < .05). The number of children, family percapita monthly income, objective support, and depression were risking factors to group C (all P < .05). There are obvious categorical characteristics of parenting concerns in young and middle-aged cancer patients. Healthcare professionals should provide psychological counseling and targeted intervention measures to patients according to the influencing factors of different categories to reduce their parenting concern levels and improve their qualities of life.