Bereaved caregivers' descriptions of sleep: impact on daily life and the bereavement process.
OBJECTIVE
To describe how sleep and bereavement may be related in family caregivers.


METHODS
Descriptive and qualitative.


METHODS
Participants' homes.


METHODS
9 adults with no previous diagnoses of clinical depression or sleep disorders who had been providing care to family members who died in the previous six months.


METHODS
Participants provided narrative accounts of sleep quality, bereavement, and daily functioning since the death of their family members. Participants' sleep quality and depressive symptoms also were measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D).


METHODS
Sleep quality, depressive symptoms, bereavement, and daily functioning.


RESULTS
Narratives revealed five themes: nightmares, wake after sleep onset, scheduling, daily life, and bereavement. Participants scored high on the PSQI and CES-D.


CONCLUSIONS
Sleep quality appears to affect bereavement and daily functioning. Participants reported severe levels of sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Studies are needed to explore sleep quality in bereaved caregivers and to examine the relationship between sleep quality and an individual's ability to accomplish the tasks of bereavement.
School of Nursing, University of Texas, Austin, USA. pcarter@mail.nur.utexas.edu
Patricia A
PA
Carter
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001601:Bereavement; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology