Predictors of Healthcare Utilization in Family Caregivers of Persons With a Primary Malignant Brain Tumor.
Isabella Goldberg, Paula Sherwood, Susan M Sereika and 6 others
PMID 37782769WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers of brain tumor patients who reported higher depression, anxiety, or burden were more likely to see their own health worsen.
Those with higher mastery were less likely to report worsening conditions. Emotional distress did not predict the number of prescription medications taken.
Key findings
01Higher depressive symptoms and anxiety were significantly associated with caregivers reporting that their comorbid conditions had worsened.
02Higher levels of caregiver mastery (perceived control) were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of reporting worsening comorbid conditions.
03The number of prescription medications taken regularly was not significantly associated with any caregiver sociodemographic variables or measures of emotional health.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Data were self-reported and subject to recall bias. The sample was homogeneous (mostly Caucasian, female, spouses), limiting generalizability across diverse populations. The study design is observational, so it identifies associations but cannot prove that caregiver stress causes worsening health. This is a secondary analysis of a randomized trial, so the intervention assignment was controlled for but the primary aim was descriptive.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that caregivers with high stress are taking more medications or visiting their doctor more often. The study found no significant link between emotional health and the number of prescriptions or the overall rate of primary care visits, only that distress was associated with worsening existing health conditions.