Trajectories of resilience and related factors in primary caregivers of patients with advanced head and neck cancer: A longitudinal cohort study

Primary caregivers (PC) of patients with advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) report stress during caregiving time post-treatment. We sought to identify the trajectories of resilience from initial completion of treatment to 1-year post-treatment in PC of patients with advanced HNC and to determine the factors associated with trajectories of resilience.In this prospective cohort study with convenience sampling, patient-PC dyads were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan between August 2015 and July 2020.We recruited 120 patient-PC dyads and followed up at treatment completion and 1, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. Generalized estimating equation analysis was performed to identified factors related to resilience.PCs' overall resilience increased from initial completion of treatment to peak at 1-year post-treatment. Patient factors associated with greater overall resilience included older age, higher performance status, and shorter time since cancer diagnosis; PC factors included reporting more social support, better physical health, and better mental health.PC mental health was the most important factor in the resilience trajectory of patients with advanced HNC cancer.Quantifying the relevant factors of trajectories of resilience will help to identify vulnerable PCs and guide survivorship care in the early stages of the post-treatment period.