A Study of the Relationship of Caregiving Appraisal to Depressive Symptomatology and Home Care Utilization

Abstract

This study assessed the relationship of caregiving appraisal to depressive symptomatology and utilization of home health care. One-hundred family caregivers to functionally impaired older adults were interviewed in their homes about depressive symptoms, dimensions of caregiving appraisal, and use of home care. Satisfaction, impact, and mastery significantly predicted depressive symptomatology. These dimensions of caregiving appraisal were not significantly different between those caregivers with and without home health care. Nursing needs to plan interventions to maximize the appraisal of caregiving.