Young Sam Oh1. 1. Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: oys503@khu.ac.kr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In cancer care settings, family caregivers often experience negative or little communication with the health professionals, and this negative communication and limited health-related information causes psychological distress in family caregivers to cancer patients. AIM: The first aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers. The second aim is to investigate the mediating effects of self-efficacy in this hypothetical model. METHODS: A total of 1397 family caregivers were included in this research. A structural equation model was then applied, in order to examine the hypothesized model based on the stress-coping model. FINDINGS: More negative communication with health professionals was associated with higher psychological distress. Self-efficacy in health information seeking significantly mediated the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that as a coping resource, self-efficacy in health information seeking, plays a significant role in reducing the effects of negative communication with health professionals on psychological distress in family caregivers.
BACKGROUND: In cancer care settings, family caregivers often experience negative or little communication with the health professionals, and this negative communication and limited health-related information causes psychological distress in family caregivers to cancerpatients. AIM: The first aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers. The second aim is to investigate the mediating effects of self-efficacy in this hypothetical model. METHODS: A total of 1397 family caregivers were included in this research. A structural equation model was then applied, in order to examine the hypothesized model based on the stress-coping model. FINDINGS: More negative communication with health professionals was associated with higher psychological distress. Self-efficacy in health information seeking significantly mediated the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that as a coping resource, self-efficacy in health information seeking, plays a significant role in reducing the effects of negative communication with health professionals on psychological distress in family caregivers.
Keywords:
Cancer care; Communication with health professionals; Psychological distress; Self-efficacy in health information seeking; Stress-coping model
Authors: Megan C Thomas Hebdon; Lorinda A Coombs; Pamela Reed; Tracy E Crane; Terry A Badger Journal: Eur J Oncol Nurs Date: 2021-03-10 Impact factor: 2.588