Cancer caregivers' health literacy in Macao: Understanding influencing factors and promoting support - an observational study

The health literacy level of caregivers for cancer patients can significantly impact the well-being of the patients. There is a notable scarcity of research on this topic in mainland China, and none in Macao's diverse healthcare cultural city. This study aimed to evaluate the health literacy of family caregivers tending to cancer patients undergoing treatment in Macao, identify key influencing factors, and promote community awareness to better support these caregivers' needs. This cross-sectional study utilised a self-designed demographic questionnaire alongside the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale-Cancer (HLCS-C, Chinese version) to gather insights from 376 family caregivers at Macao's sole public hospital. This study uncovered that the health literacy scores of Macao's family caregivers averaged at a moderate level (138.18 ± 14.64), with the category of "proactive communication with healthcare professionals"achieving the highest score at 3.65 ± 0.61, while 'thorough understanding of cancer and cancer management information' received the lowest score at 2.76 ± 0.47. Significant factors affecting health literacy levels encompass age, physical well-being, the relationship with the patients, and the channels employed to access health-related information. This study highlights the need to enhance support for Macao's caregivers through educational programmes covering caregiving techniques, health resource utilisation, and personal growth for improved health literacy and patient outcomes. This study revealed that married women aged 31 to 50 constituted the primary demographic responsible for the care of cancer patients. As a result, they represent the key target audience for any health literacy educational initiatives.