Biomedical subjects

C W Given

Publications and source records attributed to C W Given.

76 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Caregiving transitions: changes in depression among family caregivers of relatives with dementia.

Depression among family caregivers of relatives with dementia was examined at three time intervals over a 4-year period. Comparisons were made between 46 residential caregivers, 49 caregivers of institutionalized elders, and 47 bereaved caregivers. No overall difference was found between the depression paths of the three groups. Female bereaved caregivers experienced a pattern of decreasing depression following their relative's death, while male bereaved caregivers experienced an increase in depression. Findings suggest the need for further investigation of the influences of gender on bereavement following the experience of providing family care for a relative with dementia.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Family and out-of-pocket costs for women with breast cancer.

Other than loss of income to family members, little attention has been given to costs incurred by women with breast cancer and their families. Informal costs, such as the family labor for patient care and nonreimbursed out-of-pocket expenditures to care for the patient with breast cancer, need to be considered. Informal costs of women who survived for at least 3 months after the observation are compared with informal costs of a group of patients who died during the subsequent 3 months. Data for this longitudinal descriptive study were obtained from a convenience sample of 62 women with new or recurrent breast cancer. Data were collected at intake and at 3-month intervals across the 6-month observation. Data are presented for the out-of-pocket costs, primary family care-giver and "other" family labor costs, and total costs. Considering all costs, the 3-month average was $2,720 (SD, $3314) for the survivors and $7905 (SD, $5448) for the decedents. Regressions of costs on predictors were performed; survivors' status and patient dependencies in activities of daily living were the only significant predictors. Family care costs need to be considered along with the formal and direct reimbursable medical costs as an essential component of breast cancer care cost.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Loss of physical functioning among patients with cancer: a longitudinal view.

This study investigated, in a convenience sample of 279 patients with cancer, the trajectories of symptoms and loss of physical functioning over time, the relationships of these variables to age and co-morbidity, and differences existing according to cancer site (breast, lung, colorectal/gastrointestinal, urinary/reproductive, lymphoma, and "other"). The patients were surveyed twice; at intake (wave I, n = 279) and 6 months later (wave II, n = 160). Findings indicated, at wave I, that age and co-morbidity were significantly correlated, and loss of physical functioning was associated primarily with symptoms and, to a lesser degree, with age. Loss of function scores varied significantly according to cancer site, with higher levels for patients with lung cancer and lower levels for patients with breast or colorectal/gastrointestinal cancer. The most frequently occurring symptoms were fatigue, insomnia, pain, and nausea. Average levels of symptoms and loss of physical functioning were lower at wave II, indicative of a possible treatment-related effect (at wave II, a smaller percentage of patients had recently undergone treatment). Although co-morbidity was only modestly correlated with symptoms and loss of function for the total sample, it was highly correlated with both symptoms and loss of physical functioning for the younger patients (those younger than 60 years of age). The significant link that was identified between symptoms and loss of physical functioning has important implications for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers caring for patients with cancer as they deal with symptom management and quality-of-life issues.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determinants of family care giver reaction. New and recurrent cancer.

PURPOSE: The authors examined the interaction of patient and care giver variables and identified whether changes in new and recurrent patients' levels of symptoms, functioning, and depression were related to changes in care givers' reactions to providing care. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: During a 6-month observation period, the psychosocial status and burden of a matched sample of patients with either new or recurrent cancer and their family care givers were assessed and compared. RESULTS: Care givers of patients with recurrent disease experienced a marginally significantly different impact on depression over time. The type of disease (new or recurrent) did not impact care givers reactions to the care they were providing for patients. Instead, patients' symptoms and symptom experience incurred a greater impact on care giver depression. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The impact of cancer on patients and family care givers must be evaluated carefully and thoroughly, regardless of whether the diagnosis is new or recurrent. Patients' symptoms and symptom experience, mobility, and dependencies in instrumental activities of daily living are primary influences in creating emotional burden and depression in the family care giver of the patient diagnosed with new and with recurrent cancer.

Activities of Daily Living↗