The Self-Care Practices of Family Caregivers of High Mortality Cancer Patients: Differences by Varying Levels of Caregiving Well-Being and Performance (FR481C)

Abstract Self-care is regarded as essential for effective social work practice, offsetting occupational stress and promoting well-being and resiliency among practitioners. However, the literature reveals a notable absence of psychometrically sound instruments to measure self-care. The purpose of the present study was to describe the development, refinement, and construct validity of the Self-Care Practices Scale (SCPS). The piloted version of the SCPS is a 38-item instrument designed to measure frequency of engagement in personal and professional self-care practices. Data were collected through mailed surveys from a random sample of master’s-level clinical social workers and members of the National Association of Social Workers (N = 492). Analysis supports the construct validity of an 18-item SCPS with two subscales that demonstrate strong internal validity. The SCPS is useful for social work educators, practitioners, and administrators to ascertain frequency of self-care practice and build a stronger culture of self-care. The role of SCPS in future research is discussed.

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Differences in self-care behaviors by varying levels of caregiving intensity, performance, and well-being among family caregivers of patients with high-mortality cancer.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2016.34.26_suppl.239 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (26_suppl) ◽

pp. 239-239

Author(s):

J Nicholas Dionne-Odom ◽

Wendy Demark-Wahnefried ◽

Richard A. Taylor ◽

Gabrielle Betty Rocque ◽

Andres Azuero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Stress Management ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

High Mortality ◽

Spiritual Growth ◽

Self Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Interpersonal Relation ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional

239 Background: Family caregivers of high-mortality cancer patients perform vital tasks that deter from their own self-care. We aimed to determine differences in self-care behaviors by varying levels of caregiving intensity, well-being, and performance. Methods: Cross-sectional survey conducted in community settings of 8 cancer centers in AL, FL, and TN. Two-hundred and ninety-four family caregivers of Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with pancreatic, lung, brain, ovarian, head & neck, hematologic, or stage IV cancer completed measures of self-care behaviors, including health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, stress management, and sleep; anxiety and depression; health-related quality of life (HRQoL); caregiver competence and preparedness; and decision-making self-efficacy. Results: Caregivers averaged 66 years and were mostly female (72.8%), white (91.2%), Protestant (76.2%), retired (54.4%) and patients’ spouse/partner (60.2%). Approximately half were rural-dwellers (46.9%) and had incomes <$50,000 (53.8%). The majority provided support 6-7 days per week (71%) for > 1 year (68%). Lower self-care behavior scores were associated with longer durations, higher hours, and more days/week of caregiving and with fair or poor patient health. Worse caregiver anxiety, depression, and mental HRQoL scores were significantly associated with lower scores in every self-care subdomain (all ps < .05). Nearly a quarter of respondents reported high depression scores (23%) and 34% reported borderline or high anxiety scores. Caregivers with lower competence, preparedness, and decision-making efficacy had lower spiritual growth, interpersonal relation, and stress management scores. Conclusions: Higher caregiving intensity is associated with worse caregiver self-care. Poorer self-care in all domains is associated with worse caregiver well-being. Interventions to optimize caregiver wellbeing should target all self-care behaviors and to optimize caregiver performance should target spiritual growth, interpersonal relation, and stress management self-care behaviors.

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Sankofa: A Testimony of the Restorative Power of Black Activism in the Self-Care Practices of Black Activists

Journal of Black Psychology ◽

10.1177/00957984211015572 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 009579842110155

Author(s):

Joniesha M. Hickson ◽

Roddia J. Paul ◽

Aneesha C. Perkins ◽

Chiquanna R. Anderson ◽

Delishia M. Pittman

Keyword(s):

Structural Change ◽

Identity Development ◽

Self Care ◽

Well Being ◽

The Self ◽

Black Activism ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Psychological Impacts ◽

Care Practices ◽

The Relationship

The current study investigates the relationship between Black activism and self-care among five Black womxn scholar-activists. Through collaborative autoethnography, we demonstrate that one byproduct of our Black activism is a cultural-relevant form of self-care that works to buffer the psychological impacts of racism and other forms of oppression. Findings suggest that our pathway to Black activism involves an “awakening,” which furthers identity development, and facilitates connectedness and self-love, underscores the salience of representation, and creates opportunity for broad social and structural change. This is to suggest that despite the potential deleterious psychophysiological consequences that accompany the engagement in activism, we have identified five unintended self-care benefits that play a central role in bolstering activists’ psychological well-being.

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Teaching Mindfulness for the Self-Care and Well-Being of Counselors-in-Training

Journal of Creativity in Mental Health ◽

10.1080/15401383.2019.1642171 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 140-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lacretia Dye ◽

Monica Galloway Burke ◽

Cheryl Wolf

Keyword(s):

Self Care ◽

Well Being ◽

The Self ◽

Counselors In Training

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Associations between caregiving worries and psychophysical well-being. An investigation on home-cared cancer patients family caregivers

Supportive Care in Cancer ◽

10.1007/s00520-015-2854-y ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 857-863 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Veronica Zavagli ◽

Elisabetta Miglietta ◽

Silvia Varani ◽

Raffaella Pannuti ◽

Gianni Brighetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Well Being

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Assessment of Self-Care Practices among Type 2 Diabetic Patients in a Secondary Care Teaching Hospital

Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics ◽

10.22270/jddt.v10i3.4098 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 119-124

Author(s):

Jeeba Chinnappan ◽

Athira KP ◽

Faheem Iqbal ◽

Jasna V ◽

Purnima Ashok ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Status ◽

Self Care ◽

The Self ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Foot Care ◽

Type 2 Diabetic Patients ◽

Socio Economic Status ◽

Care Practices ◽

Type 2 Diabetic

Background: Diabetes is one of the major health problems worldwide that can be effectively managed by good self-care activities like medication adherence, exercise, monitoring of blood glucose, foot care and diet. Objectives: The study assessed the self-care activities of diabetic patients using summary of diabetes self-care activities scale (SDSCA) and the variables (Age, gender, educational level, socioeconomic status (SES)) associated with it. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken in 400 Type 2 diabetic patients. Self-care practices of the patients were evaluated by using SDSCA and correlation with variables were determined statistically. Results: Among 400 diabetic patients about 215 (53.75%) had an average score of self-care. Self-care was poor in 184 (46%) subjects, and only 1 subject (0.25%) scored good. Blood sugar monitoring was the highest (100%) followed by medication adherence (92.75%) whereas inadequate levels of self-care were reported in foot care (1.5%), and physical activity (31.5%) domains. A significant positive correlation was found between self-care practices and socio-demographic variables such as age (r=0.298, p=0.000), income (r=0.490, p=0.000) occupation (r=0.433, p=0.000), education (r=0.582, p=0.000), and Socio-Economic status (r=0.599, p=0.000). Conclusion: The study revealed higher level of adherence to self-care activities in terms of blood sugar monitoring and medication taking behaviour in the current setting, but self-care in other domains such as foot care is critically low. Age, education and Socio-Economic status seems to affect the self-care practice by the patients. Keywords: Diabetes, Diabetes self- care, Diabetic foot care, Summary of diabetes self-care activities (SDSCA) score.

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Assessment of self-care practices among hypertensive patients: a clinic based study in rural area of Singur, West Bengal

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20175794 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 262 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aparajita Dasgupta ◽

Sembagamuthu Sembiah ◽

Bobby Paul ◽

Ayon Ghosh ◽

Bijit Biswas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Rural Area ◽

Lifestyle Modification ◽

Self Care ◽

The Self ◽

Health Concern ◽

Hypertensive Patients ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Care Practices

Background: Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure is a global public health concern. It is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. It remains silent, being generally asymptomatic during its clinical course and it accounts for a large proportion of cardiovascular deaths; lifestyle modification is the first line of intervention for all patients with hypertension, yet it was never been empirical. The aim of the study was to assess the pattern of self-care practices, if any and also to find out the factors associated with it, among the hypertensive patients in the outpatient department. Methods: A clinic-based, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at health center under RHU & TC, Singur, which is the rural field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata among 124 hypertensive subjects. Binary logistic regression was done to find out the factors associated with the self-care practices using SPSS software. Results: In the present study, 62.9% of study participants suffering from hypertension had unfavourable self-care practices. Logistic regression showed age above 60 years (OR-3.1), primary level education (OR-5.6), poor socio economic status (OR-2.4), widow/separated (OR-3.3) and people with self-perceived poor health status (OR-2.8)had significant association with unfavourable self-care practices. After adjusting with other variables, age (AOR-2.3) and education (AOR-3.8) remained significant predictor of outcome. Conclusions: The findings revealed that the self-care practices among hypertensive patients were unfavourable in rural area. This calls for a deep need in increasing the awareness about healthy lifestyle among hypertensive patients. This study provides key elements to affect policy changes and social interventions.

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