title: The Relationship between Perceived Life Changes and Mental Health in Family Caregivers of Patients with Heart Failure who Referred to Rajaei Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caring for a patient with heart failure can be a challenging and stressful situation. However, researchers have paid less attention to caregiving outcomes in heart failure caregivers. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between perceived life changes and mental health of family caregivers of heart failure patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a correlational design, a convenience sample of 90 Iranian family caregivers of patients with heart failure was selected. Data were collected using demographic-clinical characteristics form, Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale and General Health Questionnaire-28. Data were analyzed in SPSS using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half of the caregivers reported that their lives had changed for the worse and nearly three fourths were suspected cases of mental disorders. There was a strong negative correlation between perceived life changes and mental health (r=-0.607, P<0.001). This finding remained consistent (B=-0.522, P<0.001) even when potential confounding factors including caregiver's age (B=-0.222, P=0.016), caregiver's marital status (B=-6.085, P=0.025), and patient's age (B=-0.153, P=0.030) were controlled. Being younger, unmarried caregiver and caring of younger patients were identified as other correlated factors of poor caregivers' mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strong negative correlation between perceived life changes and mental health in caregivers of patients with heart failure suggests that the heart failure caregivers with poor mental health may benefit from nursing interventions that improve appropriate coping with life changes related to caregiving.
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Negarandeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health in Disaster, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delkhosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janani
authors.affiliation: Heart Valve Disease Research Center, Rajaei Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samiei
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
keywords: Caregiver; Family; Heart failure; Mental health