Interrelationships Between Health Behaviors and Coping Strategies Among Informal Caregivers of Cancer Survivors - PubMed (original) (raw)

Interrelationships Between Health Behaviors and Coping Strategies Among Informal Caregivers of Cancer Survivors

Kristin Litzelman et al. Health Educ Behav. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Recent research among cancer survivors suggests that health behaviors and coping are intertwined, with important implications for positive behavior change and health. Informal caregivers may have poor health behaviors, and caregivers' health behaviors have been linked to those of survivors.

Aims: This hypothesis generating study assessed the correlations among health behaviors and coping strategies in a population of lung and colorectal cancer caregivers.

Method: This cross-sectional study used data from the Cancer Care Outcomes Research & Surveillance Consortium. Caregivers ( n = 1,482) reported their health behaviors, coping, and sociodemographic and caregiving characteristics. Descriptive statistics assessed the distribution of caregivers' health and coping behaviors, and multivariable linear regressions assessed the associations between health behaviors and coping styles.

Results: Many informal caregivers reported regular exercise (47%) and adequate sleep (37%); few reported smoking (19%) or binge drinking (7%). Problem-focused coping was associated with greater physical activity and less adequate sleep (effect sizes [ESs] up to 0.21, p < .05). Those with some physical activity scored higher on emotion-focused coping, while binge drinkers scored lower (ES = 0.16 and 0.27, p < .05). Caregivers who reported moderate daily activity, current smoking, binge drinking, and feeling less well rested scored higher on dysfunctional coping (ES up to 0.49, p < .05).

Discussion: Health behaviors and coping strategies were interrelated among informal cancer caregivers. The relationships suggest avenues for future research, including whether targeting both factors concurrently may be particularly efficacious at improving informal caregiver self-care.

Conclusion: Understanding the link between health behaviors and coping strategies may inform health behavior research and practice.

Keywords: cancer; caregivers; coping behavior; family relations; health behavior.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. Distribution of health behaviors among informal cancer caregivers (n=1,482)

Data are from the “Share Thoughts on Care Caregiver Study” conducted by the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) Consortium (2003–2005).

Figure 2

Figure 2. Coping strategies reported by informal cancer caregivers (n=1,482)

Data are from the “Share Thoughts on Care Caregiver Study” conducted by the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) Consortium (2003–2005). Items are from the Brief COPE questionnaire.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. American Psychological Association. Stress by generation. 2012 Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2012/generation.pdf.
    1. Applebaum AJ, Farran CJ, Marziliano AM, Pasternak AR, Breitbart W. Preliminary study of themes of meaning and psychosocial service use among informal cancer caregivers. Palliat Support Care. 2014;12(2):139–148. doi: 10.1017/S1478951513000084. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ayanian JZ, Chrischilles EA, Fletcher RH, Fouad MN, Harrington DP, Kahn KL, West DW. Understanding cancer treatment and outcomes: the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium. J Clin Oncol. 2004;22(15):2992–2996. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2004.06.020. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Beesley VL, Price MA, Webb PM, Australian Ovarian Cancer Study, G. Australian Ovarian Cancer Study-Quality of Life Study, I Loss of lifestyle: health behaviour and weight changes after becoming a caregiver of a family member diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2011;19(12):1949–1956. doi: 10.1007/s00520-010-1035-2. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bowman KF, Rose JH, Deimling GT. Families of long-term cancer survivors: health maintenance advocacy and practice. Psychooncology. 2005;14(12):1008–1017. doi: 10.1002/pon.911. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources