Caregiver characteristics and bereavement needs: Findings from a population study

DiGiacomo, M; Hatano, Y; Phillips, J; Lewis, J; Abernethy, AP; Currow, DC

Caregiver characteristics and bereavement needs: Findings from a population study

DiGiacomo, M

Hatano, Y Phillips, J

Lewis, J

Abernethy, AP Currow, DC

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Palliative Medicine, 2017, 31 (5), pp. 465 - 474
Issue Date:: 2017-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	DiGiacomo, M https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-8224	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Hatano, Y	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Phillips, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3691-8230	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lewis, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8668-712X	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Abernethy, AP	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Currow, DC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1988-1250	en_US
dc.date.available	2020-05-25T19:21:11Z
dc.date.issued	2017-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Palliative Medicine, 2017, 31 (5), pp. 465 - 474	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0269-2163	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/44761
dc.description.abstract	© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. Background: Globally, most care for people with life-limiting illnesses is provided by informal caregivers. Identifying characteristics of caregivers that may have unmet needs and negative outcomes can help provide better support to facilitate adjustment. Aim: We compared characteristics, expressed unmet needs and outcomes for spousal caregivers, with other caregivers at the end of life, by gender and age. Design: The South Australian Health Omnibus is an annual, random, face-to-face, cross-sectional survey wherein respondents are asked about end-of-life care. Setting/participants: Participants were aged over 15 years, resided in households in South Australia and had someone close to them die from a terminal illness in the last 5 years. Results: Of the 1540 respondents who provided hands-on care for someone close at the end of life, 155 were widows/widowers. Bereaved spousal caregivers were more likely to be older, female, better educated, have lower incomes, less full-time work, English as second language, sought help with grief and provided more day-to-day care for longer periods. Spousal caregivers were less likely to be willing to take on caregiving again, less able to ‘move on’ with life and needed greater emotional support and information about illness and services. The only difference between widows and widowers was older age of spouse in women. Younger spousal caregivers perceived greater unmet emotional needs and were significantly less likely to be able to ‘move on’. Conclusion: Spousal caregivers are different from other caregivers, with more intense needs that are not fully met. These have implications for bereavement, health and social services.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Palliative Medicine	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/0269216316663855	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Gerontology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Palliative Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Terminal Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hospice Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Bereavement	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Grief	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Age Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sex Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Caregivers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Terminally Ill	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	South Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.title	Caregiver characteristics and bereavement needs: Findings from a population study	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	5	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	31	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	5	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	31	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. Background: Globally, most care for people with life-limiting illnesses is provided by informal caregivers. Identifying characteristics of caregivers that may have unmet needs and negative outcomes can help provide better support to facilitate adjustment. Aim: We compared characteristics, expressed unmet needs and outcomes for spousal caregivers, with other caregivers at the end of life, by gender and age. Design: The South Australian Health Omnibus is an annual, random, face-to-face, cross-sectional survey wherein respondents are asked about end-of-life care. Setting/participants: Participants were aged over 15 years, resided in households in South Australia and had someone close to them die from a terminal illness in the last 5 years. Results: Of the 1540 respondents who provided hands-on care for someone close at the end of life, 155 were widows/widowers. Bereaved spousal caregivers were more likely to be older, female, better educated, have lower incomes, less full-time work, English as second language, sought help with grief and provided more day-to-day care for longer periods. Spousal caregivers were less likely to be willing to take on caregiving again, less able to ‘move on’ with life and needed greater emotional support and information about illness and services. The only difference between widows and widowers was older age of spouse in women. Younger spousal caregivers perceived greater unmet emotional needs and were significantly less likely to be able to ‘move on’. Conclusion: Spousal caregivers are different from other caregivers, with more intense needs that are not fully met. These have implications for bereavement, health and social services.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/44761