Evaluating emotional distress and health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure and their family caregivers: testing dyadic dynamics using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

Thomson, P., Howie, K., Leslie, S. J., Angus, N. J., Andreis, F., Thomson, R., Mohan, A. R.M., Mondoa, C. and Chung, M. L. (2020) Evaluating emotional distress and health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure and their family caregivers: testing dyadic dynamics using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. PLoS ONE, 15(1), e0227129. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227129) (PMID:31914152) (PMCID:PMC6948731)

Abstract

Purpose: 1) To compare levels of emotional symptoms and health-related quality of life between patients with heart failure and their family caregivers; and 2) to examine whether patients’ and caregivers’ emotional symptoms were associated with their own, as well as their partner’s health-related quality of life. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 41 patients-caregiver dyads (78% male patients, aged 68.6 years; and 83% female caregivers, aged 65.8 years) completed all nine dimensions of the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Minnesota Living with Heart failure Questionnaire. Dyadic data were analysed for 6 sub-scales of the Brief Symptom Inventory, using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in emotional symptoms and health-related quality of life between patients with heart failure and their caregivers. Patients’ and caregivers’ emotional symptoms were associated with their own health-related quality of life. Caregivers’ anxiety, phobic anxiety, obsession-compulsion, depression and hostility negatively influenced their partner’s (i.e. the patient’s) health-related quality of life. There were no partner effects of patients’ emotional symptoms on the health-related quality of life of caregivers. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that patients may be particularly vulnerable to the emotional distress, i.e. thoughts, impulses and actions of their caregivers. It may be possible to improve patients’ health-related quality of life by targeting specific detrimental emotional symptoms of caregivers.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Thomson, Robert

Creator Roles

Thomson, R.: Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing

• Authors: Thomson, P., Howie, K., Leslie, S. J., Angus, N. J., Andreis, F., Thomson, R., Mohan, A. R.M., Mondoa, C., and Chung, M. L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Nursing and Health Care
• Journal Name: PLoS ONE
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• ISSN (Online): 1932-6203
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Thomson et al.
• First Published: First published in PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227129
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License