Caregiver health literacy in head and neck cancer and its relationship with caregiver and patient psychological distress.
Describe caregiver health literacy and assess its association with mental health outcomes of head and neck (HNC) dyads.
This single institution cross-sectional cohort study involved 100 dyads from October 2020 to July 2021. Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the association between caregiver health literacy using the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale- Cancer (HLCS-C) and depression (PHQ-8), anxiety (GAD-7), quality of life (UW-QOL), and perceived stress (PSS) among caregivers and care recipients.
Higher caregiver scores in the proactiveness domain were linked with lower caregiver PSS scores (β = -0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.85 to -0.05). Higher caregiver self-care correlated with higher caregiver depression (β = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.72 to 1.27), anxiety (β = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.39-1.13), and perceived stress (β = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.63 to 1.50). Caregivers having sufficient information about cancer was linked to lower care recipient QOL [physical QOL (β = -3.08, 95% Cl: -4.84 to -1.33); socio-emotional QOL (β = -1.88, 95% CI: -3.54 to -0.22)] and higher care recipient depression (β = 0.80, 95% Cl: 0.18 to 1.41). Caregivers having higher social support was associated with lower care recipient depression (β = -0.59, 95% Cl: -1.12 to -0.07).
Our findings suggest that caregiver health literacy may affect HNC mental health outcomes, with certain HLCS-C domains-self-care and adequate information- were linked to poorer outcomes. Encouraging a balanced information seeking behavior and strong social support among caregivers may lessen the psychological burden for both HNC caregivers and patients.
This single institution cross-sectional cohort study involved 100 dyads from October 2020 to July 2021. Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the association between caregiver health literacy using the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale- Cancer (HLCS-C) and depression (PHQ-8), anxiety (GAD-7), quality of life (UW-QOL), and perceived stress (PSS) among caregivers and care recipients.
Higher caregiver scores in the proactiveness domain were linked with lower caregiver PSS scores (β = -0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.85 to -0.05). Higher caregiver self-care correlated with higher caregiver depression (β = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.72 to 1.27), anxiety (β = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.39-1.13), and perceived stress (β = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.63 to 1.50). Caregivers having sufficient information about cancer was linked to lower care recipient QOL [physical QOL (β = -3.08, 95% Cl: -4.84 to -1.33); socio-emotional QOL (β = -1.88, 95% CI: -3.54 to -0.22)] and higher care recipient depression (β = 0.80, 95% Cl: 0.18 to 1.41). Caregivers having higher social support was associated with lower care recipient depression (β = -0.59, 95% Cl: -1.12 to -0.07).
Our findings suggest that caregiver health literacy may affect HNC mental health outcomes, with certain HLCS-C domains-self-care and adequate information- were linked to poorer outcomes. Encouraging a balanced information seeking behavior and strong social support among caregivers may lessen the psychological burden for both HNC caregivers and patients.
Authors
Abdul-Rahman Abdul-Rahman, Morris Morris, Glass Glass, Carlson Carlson, Cui Cui, Tan Tan, Johnson Johnson, Mazul Mazul, Nilsen Nilsen
View on Pubmed