Uncertainty in illness in family caregivers of palliative care patients and associated factors.
Mauricio Arias-Rojas, Sonia Carreño-Moreno, Carolina Posada-López
PMID 31618393WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of palliative care patients had high illness uncertainty (average 91.7 on 31-155 scale).
Uncertainty correlated weakly or moderately with patient symptoms and function, caregiving length, and less perceived support from health professionals, family, and religion.
Key findings
01Caregivers had an average uncertainty score of 91.7 points, with SD 8.8, a maximum of 124, and a minimum of 66; the paper defines scores above 87 as high.
02Uncertainty had significant weak or moderate correlations with patient symptoms (coefficient 0.312), patient function (0.187), length of service as a caregiver (0.131), and perceived support from health professionals (-0.16), family (-0.145), and religion (-0.113).
03Uncertainty was not correlated with caregiver education, sole-caregiver status, perceived social support, previous caregiving experience, perceived workload, use of ICTs, well-being, or socioeconomic status.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional survey, so it cannot show that patient symptoms, caregiving length, or perceived support caused uncertainty. Participants were selected intentionally from one private hospital in Bogotá-Colombia, not randomly, which may introduce bias and limit generalisability. Most correlations were weak, and the moderate correlation with symptoms still does not prove a treatment effect. The study did not test any nursing intervention, so practice suggestions are not evidence that they work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that increasing perceived support from health professionals, family, or religion will reduce caregiver uncertainty. This was a cross-sectional survey with intentional sampling, and the correlations were weak or moderate.