Status of and factors influencing paternal fatigue in children with retinoblastoma: a cross-sectional study

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to children’s vision and life. Although fathers play a vital role as caregivers for children with RB, little is known about their fatigue and related factors. This single-center, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of fatigue and its associated factors among fathers of children with RB. A convenience sample of 166 fathers was recruited from March 2020 to September 2021. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The mean FSS score was 38.27 ± 12.76, indicating that fathers generally experienced fatigue. Multiple linear regression analysis identified fathers’ educational level and health status as significant factors associated with fatigue (p < 0.05). The Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model yielded consistent results, further highlighting health status as the most influential predictor. Fathers with higher educational attainment or poorer health tended to report greater fatigue. Fatigue is prevalent among fathers of children with RB and is associated with both fathers’ educational level and health status factors. These findings underscore the need for increased attention to paternal well-being in pediatric oncology care. Interventions such as health education, professional caregiving guidance, and psychosocial support may help reduce fatigue and improve the overall quality of life among fathers caring for children with RB.