Abstract 12817: The Mediator Role of Physical Function in the Relationship Between Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care and Caregiver Quality of Life in Heart Failure

Introduction: Caregivers of patients with heart failure (HF) commonly show reduced physical function and quality of life (QOL). Caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance (CC-SC maintenance) may result in reduced physical function, and, in turn, poor QOL. However, these relationships have not been tested in caregivers of patients with HF.

Aim: To test the mediating role of physical function in the relationship of CC-SC maintenance to caregiver QOL in HF.

Hypothesis: Physical function mediates the relationship between CC-SC maintenance and caregiver QOL in caregivers of patients with HF, controlling for covariates (i.e., age, marital status, relationship to patient, comorbidity, depressive symptoms, and caregiver confidence to self-efficacy).

Methods: In this cross-sectional, correlational study, data on physical function (Korean Activity Status Index), CC-SC maintenance (Caregiver Contribution to Self-care Maintenance), caregiver confidence to self-care (Caregiver Confidence in Contributing to Self-care Scale), caregiver QOL (EuroQol Quality of Life Scale), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and sociodemographic characteristics (Sociodemographic Questionnaire) were collected from 92 caregivers of patients with HF (mean age = 53.8) from 4 hospitals in South Korea. PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the hypothesis.

Results: CC-SC maintenance was associated with caregiver QOL indirectly through the effect on physical function. Higher levels of CC-SC maintenance (p = .021) were significantly associated with poorer physical function, and poorer physical function (p < .001), but not CC-SC maintenance (p = .362), was significantly associated with poorer caregiver QOL (F = 7.021, R ² = .435, p < .001), controlling for the covariates (standardized indirect effect = -.105, bootstrap 95% CI = -.217, -.017).

Conclusions: The findings of this study supported the hypothesis. Physical function was a mediator in the relationship between CC-SC maintenance and caregiver QOL, implying that CC-SC maintenance was associated with QOL only indirectly through the effects on physical function. Healthcare providers should consider CC-SC maintenance and physical function of caregivers at the same time to improve their QOL.