Grant, Joan S.

Introduction: Depressive symptoms, negative life changes, poor self-care, and higher caregiver burden are common in caregivers who assist individuals with heart failure (HF) in managing daily activities and disease-related symptoms. Previous research findings suggest social support, problem solving, and family function may influence these outcomes. However, the influence of these factors on outcomes in rural HF caregivers is unknown.

Background: Little is known about heart failure (HF) caregiver self-care. Methods: This article reports a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 530 HF caregivers. A three-step latent class mixture model identified HF caregiver classes at risk for poor self-care and examined the relationship between the identified self-care classes and caregiver burden and depression. Caregivers completed online surveys on self-care, caregiver burden, depression, problem-solving, social support, and family function.

Palliative care initiatives strive to control symptoms and improve the quality of care for individuals with heart failure (HF) and their informal caregivers. Yet, caregiving is stressful for many caregivers and requires a delicate balancing act between providing quality care and maintaining other responsibilities. Support services are a crucial component of palliative care. Yet, little is known regarding what support services HF caregivers need to assist with caregiving duties.

Heart failure is a serious and complex chronic illness and family caregivers often assist these individuals in performing self-care. Unsurprisingly, caregivers often are overwhelmed by daily activities associated with heart failure management and frequently have depressive symptoms.

The purpose of this study was to identify high priority problems experienced by informal caregivers when providing care for individuals with heart failure in the home. This secondary analysis was part of a cross-sectional, descriptive study using online self-report instruments (N = 530), including one researcher-developed item identifying top priority problems for heart failure caregivers. Content and quantitative data analyses were conducted.

Objectives: The purpose of this review was to examine and synthesize recent literature regarding problems experienced by informal caregivers when providing care for individuals with heart failure in the home.; Design: Integrative literature review.; Data Sources: A review of current empirical literature was conducted utilizing PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Sociological Abstracts, Social Sciences Full Text, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and Cochrane computerized databases.