Psychometric Analysis of the Health Self-Care Neglect Scale.
Barbara Riegel, Claudio Barbaranelli, Ryan Quinn and 3 others
PMID 37755707WHAT IT FOUND
The 9-item self-care neglect scale appears consistent and stable over a 1-month interval in 250 caregivers of adults with heart failure.
It asks whether they skipped doctor visits, exercise, rest, or medications. It is not a patient outcome measure.
Key findings
01The 9-item self-care neglect scale was tested in 250 informal caregivers of adults with heart failure.
02Caregiver responses were stable over a 30-day interval, so scores could be compared across time.
03The scale was related in the expected direction to another self-care measure: higher neglect scores went with lower self-care maintenance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample came from one geographic region and one healthcare system, so it may not fit caregivers elsewhere. The caregivers were mostly female (85.2%) and well-educated (79.1% with some college or more), which is different from reported U.S. caregiver samples. The parent trial selected caregivers who reported at least 2 HSCN points and provided at least 8 hours/week of care, so it does not describe all caregivers. The model fit reports N = 254, while the described sample was 250, so the analysis sample is not fully clear. The study tested a questionnaire in caregivers of adults with heart failure, not patient outcomes. The scale was scored as yes/no items over the prior 3 months, so it cannot show how much or why behaviors were neglected.
Declared interests
The article is listed as NIH extramural research support, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the good scale properties as proof that screening caregivers improves heart failure care. The study tested the questionnaire in 250 informal caregivers, not patient outcomes.