Hospice Caregivers’ Perception of Family and Non-Family Social Support and Stress over Time: Associations with Reports of General Support

Maija Reblin (), Djin L. Tay, Eli Iacob, Kristin G. Cloyes, Megan C. Thomas Hebdon and Lee Ellington
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Maija Reblin: Department of Family Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
Djin L. Tay: College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Eli Iacob: College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Kristin G. Cloyes: School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
Megan C. Thomas Hebdon: School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Lee Ellington: College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-9

Abstract: Social support has been identified as a key factor to protect wellbeing for home hospice cancer caregivers. However, few studies have assessed social support over time in this context, and measures of support are often limited to general assessments of perceived support. Our goal was to (1) describe change in cancer home hospice caregivers’ social support over time during care and into bereavement and (2) explore the impact of perceived stress and support from family and non-family members on caregivers’ perceived general social support. We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal prospective questionnaire data. Forty caregivers completed measures of general perceived support, family and non-family support and stress during hospice enrollment and 2 and 6 months post the patient’s death. Linear mixed models were used to determine change in support over time and the contribution of specific support/stress ratings to general support assessments. Caregivers overall had moderate and stable levels of social support over time, though there was significant variation between and within individuals. Family and non-family support and stress from family predicted general perceptions of social support, while no effects were found for non-family stress. This work suggests a need for more specific measures of support and stress, and the need for research to focus on improving baseline levels of caregiver perceived support.

Keywords: caregiver; social support; home hospice; oncology; longitudinal; interpersonal relationship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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