An Anthropological Approach on the Wellbeing of Cancer Caregivers: A PRISMA-ScR Guided Scoping Review

Informal caregivers play a vital role in cancer care, frequently managing complex emo-tional, physical, and logistical responsibilities. While caregiving can be rewarding, it is often associated with psychological distress and diminished wellbeing. Emerging evi-dence suggests that sociodemographic characteristics may significantly influence how caregivers experience this burden. This scoping review aimed to synthesize recent lit-erature on the associations between caregiver sociodemographic factors and wellbeing outcomes in the context of cancer care. A systematic search of the PubMed database was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, targeting studies pub-lished between 2020 and 2025. The final search strategy included terms related to fami-ly caregiving, cancer, sociodemographics, and wellbeing. After screening for eligibility and applying inclusion criteria, 12 peer-reviewed studies were selected. Data were ex-tracted on cancer type, caregiver characteristics, sociodemographic variables, wellbeing outcomes, and significant findings. The included studies examined caregivers of pa-tients with breast, pediatric, and oral cancers. Primary wellbeing outcomes included stress, depression, anxiety, resilience, quality of life, and preparedness for caregiving or end-of-life support. Low income, limited formal education, female gender, and un-employment consistently emerged as predictors of poorer psychological outcomes. Eleven of the twelve studies reported statistically significant associations between so-ciodemographic disadvantage and increased distress. In contrast, marital status, reli-gious affiliation, and prior caregiving experience were occasionally associated with greater resilience or reduced burden. This review underscores that caregiver wellbeing in cancer contexts is shaped not only by clinical demands but also by structural and so-cial inequalities. Sociodemographic disadvantage is a consistent predictor of mental health vulnerability. Equity-focused, culturally sensitive, and targeted support strate-gies are needed to mitigate the psychosocial toll of caregiving, particularly among high-risk and underserved populations.