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. 2022 Oct 10;17(10):e0275169.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275169. eCollection 2022.

Negative and positive experiences of caregiving among family caregivers of older blunt trauma patients

Ting-Hway Wong  1   2 , Timothy Xin Zhong Tan  3 , Lynette Ma Loo  4 , Wei Chong Chua  5 , Philip Tsau Choong Iau  4 , Arron Seng Hock Ang  6 , Jerry Tiong Thye Goo  7 , Kim Chai Chan  8 , Hai V Nguyen  9 , Nivedita V Nadkarni  10 , David Bruce Matchar  1 , Dennis Chuen Chai Seow  11 , Yee Sien Ng  12 , Angelique Chan  13 , Stephanie Fook-Chong  1 , Tjun Yip Tang  14 , Marcus Eng Hock Ong  1   3 , Rahul Malhotra  1
Affiliations

Negative and positive experiences of caregiving among family caregivers of older blunt trauma patients

Ting-Hway Wong et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objectives: Family caregivers play a fundamental role in the care of the older blunt trauma patient. We aim to identify risk factors for negative and positive experiences of caregiving among family caregivers.

Design: Prospective, nationwide, multi-center cohort study.

Setting and participants: 110 family caregivers of Singaporeans aged≥55 admitted for unintentional blunt trauma with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) or New Injury Severity Score (NISS)≥10 were assessed for caregiving-related negative (disturbed schedule and poor health, lack of family support, lack of finances) and positive (esteem) experiences using the modified-Caregiver Reaction Assessment (m-CRA) three months post-injury.

Methods: The association between caregiver and patient factors, and the four m-CRA domains were evaluated via linear regression.

Results: Caregivers of retired patients and caregivers of functionally dependent patients (post-injury Barthel score <80) reported a worse experience in terms of disturbed schedule and poor health (β-coefficient 0.42 [95% Confidence Interval 0.10, 0.75], p = .01; 0.77 [0.33, 1.21], p = .001), while male caregivers and caregivers who had more people in the household reported a better experience (-0.39 [-0.73, -0.06], p = .02; -0.16 [-0.25, -0.07], p = .001). Caregivers of male patients, retired patients, and patients living in lower socioeconomic housing were more likely to experience lack of family support (0.28, [0.03, -0.53], p = .03; 0.26, [0.01, 0.52], p = .05; 0.34, [0.05, -0.66], p = .02). In the context of lack of finances, caregivers of male patients and caregivers of functionally dependent patients reported higher financial strain (0.74 [0.31, 1.17], p = .001; 0.84 [0.26, 1.43], p = .01). Finally, caregivers of male patients reported higher caregiver esteem (0.36 [0.15, 0.57], p = .001).

Conclusions and implications: Negative and positive experiences of caregiving among caregivers of older blunt trauma patients are associated with pre-injury disability and certain patient and caregiver demographics. These factors should be considered when planning the post-discharge support of older blunt trauma patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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