title: Psychosocial needs of family caregivers of terminally ill patients.
abstract: The primary caregivers (mean age = 63 yr.) of 28 terminally ill veterans (mean age = 67 yr.) who were living at home were surveyed for their concrete and psychosocial needs. The caregivers also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Life Satisfaction Index, the Provision of Social Relations scale, and the Burden Inventory. The rank order of concrete and psychosocial needs is reported for these caregivers. Increased scores on depression were associated with decreased life satisfaction as was low social support. Not surprisingly, higher numbers of concrete and psychosocial needs were associated with increases in depression.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Schuckers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burch
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Emmett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012944:Social Support; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*