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Caregiver distress: Does it exist in the peripheral nerve injury patient population?
Luke Juckett
Julie West PA-C
Tiam Mana Saffari MD PhD
Irene Kaptsen
Amy M. Moore MD
The Ohio State University Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
2023-02-01
Presenter: Luke Juckett
Affidavit:
The submitted work is 100% the original work by the submitting student and our team.
Director Name: Amy M. Moore
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Background
The caregiver experience is well described in several disease states, but has never been investigated in the setting of peripheral nerve injuries (PNI). PNIs often result in devastating pain and loss of function that can significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. The aim of this study is to determine if caregiver distress exists in PNI patients and evaluate how it impacts caregiver's lives.
Methods
This cross-sectional descriptive study targeted patient-caregiver dyads seeking outpatient care for a PNI. Patient-reported outcomes were measured by the Distress Thermometer (DT), Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), Visual Analog Scale, and Short Form-8. Caregiver-reported outcomes were measured by the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), DT, and PHQ-4.
Results
Patients (n=59) presented with either upper (61%) or lower (39%) extremity PNIs. Thirty-three (56%) patients had symptoms for less than two years, and 31 (52.5%) had prior surgical intervention. Patients reported an average pain score of 4.95 and moderate distress score of 4.29/10. Twenty-six patients (44%) screened positive for anxiety/depression. Caregivers (n=47) were primarily female (66%), and most often a spouse (55%) or parent (32%). Caregivers reported mild distress of 3.89/10 and 10 caregivers (21%) screened positive for anxiety/depression. Elevated patient PHQ-4 scores predicted, significantly, elevated caregiver PHQ-4 scores (p<0.005).
Conclusion
Caregivers of patients with PNIs report mildly elevated levels of distress and are at-risk for anxiety/depression. Our results demonstrate the importance of recognizing that caregiver distress does exist in the PNI patient population and highlights the need for interventions to alleviate caregiver burden.
