title: Relationships and emotional wellbeing among African American and White advanced cancer caregivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advanced cancer family caregivers who have good relationships with other family members and with patient's health care providers (PHCPs) have less emotional distress than caregivers with poor relationships. Given a history of different experiences in medical settings among Whites and African Americans, we examined moderation effects by race.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data from an ongoing study were collected via telephone interviews with 397 family caregivers of advanced cancer patients at two cancer clinics. Depressed mood and anxiety were measured with the 14-item Profile of Mood States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers reporting good relationships with family (p<.001) and PHCPs (p<.001) had lower anxiety and less depressed mood (family, p<.01; PHCP, p<.001). Caregiver race moderated relationship quality: Whites with good PHCP relationships felt less depressed mood (p<.01) and anxiety (p<.01). African Americans with good family relationships showed less depressed mood (p<.05), but no association with anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Good relationships are important for caregivers, but PHCPs may have more influence on the wellbeing of White than of African American caregivers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Developing relationships with caregivers of advanced cancer patients may improve wellbeing for caregivers. In addition, creating strategies to support family relationships may be a useful intervention, especially for African American advanced cancer caregivers.
authors: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. linda.francis@case.edu
authors: Linda E
authors: LE
authors: Francis
authors: Karen F
authors: KF
authors: Bowman
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Kypriotakis
authors: Julia Hannum
authors: JH
authors: Rose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult