Carer psychological distress linked to worse patient mental health and higher service use in cancer care

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Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Published May 31, 2026 Medically reviewed May 31, 2026 Study authors: Huynh Thi N T, DiSipio Tracey, Collins Louisa G, Jones Lee, Neale Rachel E, Beesley Vanessa L PubMed ↗ DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Consider that carer psychological distress is associated with worse patient mental health and increased service use in cancer care.

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing evidence from 169 eligible studies on family carers and patients with cancer. The authors examined associations between carer psychological health (distress, depression, anxiety, poor mental quality of life) and patient psychological health, as well as health service use for both groups. The meta-analysis found pooled effect sizes for the association between poor carer mental health and similar patient outcomes ranged from 0.28 to 0.42, with all p-values < 0.001. Carers with poor psychological health used general practice, mental healthcare, and hospital services more frequently than psychologically healthy carers. Patients cared for by carers with poor mental health used more medications and had more frequent emergency presentations. The authors note that subgroup analyses by gender, disease stage, and study quality revealed no substantial differences. Limitations include the observational nature of the included studies, precluding causal inference. The authors suggest that including carers alongside patients in early psychosocial care may improve family outcomes and reduce health service use, but this remains an association-based finding.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedMay 2026

PMID42217108

View Original Abstract ↓

BACKGROUND: Family carers (caregivers) of cancer patients often have poor mental health, which may adversely affect patient wellbeing and health service use. We examined the evidence for this using a systematic review and meta-analyses. METHODS: We systematically searched online databases for studies reporting associations between carer psychological health and either: (a) psychological health of patients with cancer they cared for; or (b) health service use in carers or patients. Studies' risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. We undertook meta-analyses to estimate pooled correlations for the most commonly reported associations between carer and patient psychological health. For associations between carer psychological health and carer and/or patient health service use, we conducted a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Our search identified 11,911 records, 169 of which were eligible. The majority of studies were of high-to-moderate quality. Carers who were distressed, depressed, anxious, or had poor scores in the mental component of quality of life were significantly more likely to be caring for patients with these same outcomes (pooled effect sizes ranged from 0.28 to 0.42; all p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by gender, disease stage, and study quality revealed no substantial differences. Carers with poor psychological health used general practice, mental healthcare, and hospital services more frequently than those who were psychologically healthy, and the patients they cared for used more medications and had more frequent emergency presentations. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of carers alongside patients in early psychosocial care may improve family outcomes and reduce health service use.