Predicting Family Caregiver Psychosocial Functioning in Palliative Care

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Health professionals are expected to support family caregivers of patients requiring palliative care. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to help clinicians identify caregivers who might be at risk of poor psychosocial functioning. PURPOSE: This secondary analysis of baseline data from a larger study sought to determine if it was possible to predict the psychosocial functioning of family caregivers who were supporting a relative with advanced incurable cancer. METHOD: Data from 35 primary family caregivers obtained at the start of home-based palliative care services and five weeks later was used in the analysis. Instruments to measure caregiver preparedness, competence, mastery, social support, anxiety, and self-efficacy were used. RESULTS: Cluster and logistic analyses revealed that self-reported "anxiety" and "competence" subscale total scores at time of commencement of home-based palliative care services were associated with caregivers at risk of lower levels of psychosocial functioning five weeks later. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that it may be possible to identify family caregivers who are at risk for poorer psychosocial functioning. However, replication in a larger sample is required before this screening approach can be recommended for clinical use.