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 of-ten associated with psychological distress and diminished wellbeing. Despite caregivers’ vital role, little is known about how sociodemographic inequalities shape their wellbeing in cancer care. This scoping review aimed to synthesize recent literature on the associa-tions 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 published between 2020 and 2025. The final search strategy included terms related to family caregiving, cancer, sociodemographics, and wellbeing. After systematic screening for eligibility and applying inclusion criteria, 12 peer-reviewed studies were selected. Data were extracted on cancer type, caregiver charac-teristics, sociodemographic variables, wellbeing outcomes, and significant findings. The included studies examined caregivers of patients with breast, pediatric, and oral can-cers. Primary wellbeing outcomes included stress, depression, anxiety, resilience, quality of life, and preparedness for caregiving or end-of-life support. Across nearly all studies, low income, limited formal education, female gender, and unemployment consistently emerged as predictors of poorer psychological outcomes. Eleven of the twelve studies re-ported statistically significant associations between sociodemographic disadvantage and increased distress. In contrast, marital status, religious 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 social inequalities. Sociodemographic disad-vantage is a consistent predictor of mental health vulnerability. These findings highlight the urgent need for equity-focused, culturally sensitive support strategies to protect the wellbeing of high-risk caregivers, and to ensure that cancer care systems do not exacerbate existing social inequalities.