The well-being of informal caregivers plays an important role in patient-perceived quality of care, according to a study involving nearly 700 individuals.

Investigators administered a survey to participants with lung or colorectal cancer and their caregivers. Among the results:

• Patients with caregivers who reported greater depressive symptoms were 6% more likely to say they received fair or poor quality care.
• When caregivers reported fair or poor self-rated health, patients were nearly 4 times more likely to report fair or poor perceived quality care.
• Controlling for patient psychosocial factors and physician communication and coordination of medical care reduced the effect size and/or statistical significance of the associations.