Factors associated with quality of life among informal caregivers of adults receiving home mechanical ventilation: a multicentre cross-sectional study in Poland

Abstract The prevalence of home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is increasing due to population ageing and advances in intensive care. In Poland, the number of adults receiving HMV has also grown significantly in recent years. HMV substantially impacts informal caregivers, most often family members, who provide the majority of daily care. This study aimed to assess quality of life (QoL), caregiver burden, perceived stress, and life satisfaction among informal caregivers of adults receiving HMV, and to identify key factors associated with caregiver QoL. A multicentre, cross-sectional study was conducted between 2024 and 2025 among informal caregivers of adults receiving HMV. Data were collected using the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire (AC-QoL), the Caregiver Burden Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression, correlation analyses, and between-group comparisons were performed. In unadjusted between-group comparisons, caregivers of adults receiving non-invasive ventilation reported significantly higher QoL, lower caregiver burden, and greater life satisfaction than caregivers of adults receiving invasive ventilation. However, in the regression analysis, type of ventilation was not independently associated with QoL (β = 0.02, p = 0.711). The final regression model explained 70.4% of the variance in the AC-QoL scores (adjusted R 2 = 0.689), although some variables conceptually overlap with AC-QoL domains. Higher caregiver burden (β = − 0.57, p < 0.001) and greater perceived stress (β = − 0.31, p < 0.001) were independently associated with lower QoL, whereas higher financial satisfaction (β = 0.11, p = 0.021) and longer duration of care (β = 0.10, p = 0.026) were independently associated with higher QoL. These findings highlight the need for routine caregiver assessment and targeted support.