Table 1.
Patient and caregiver characteristics.
| Characteristics | Patient (n = 19) | Caregiver (n = 19) |
|---|---|---|
| Age: mean (range) | 69 (34–over 89) | 59 (30–89) |
| Female: n (%) | 7 (37%) | 18 (95%) |
| LVEF: mean (SD) | 39.9 (16.5) | N/A |
| NYHA class: n (%) | ||
| II | 10 (53%) | N/A |
| III | 8 (42%) | |
| IV | 1 (5%) | |
| Race: n (%) | ||
| White | 12 (63%) | 16 (84%) |
| Black | 3 (15%) | 2 (11%) |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2 (11%) | 1 (6%) |
| Other | 2 (11%) | 0 (0%) |
| Highest level education: n (%) | ||
| Less than high school graduate | 1 (5%) | 0 (0%) |
| High school graduate, or equivalent | 8 (42%) | 4 (21%) |
| Some college | 3 (16%) | 6 (32%) |
| College graduate | 4 (21%) | 5 (26%) |
| Any post-graduate | 3 (16%) | 4 (21%) |
| Current work situation: n (%) | ||
| Full time | 3 (16%) | 9 (47%) |
| Part time | 0 (0%) | 4 (21%) |
| Retired | 9 (47%) | 4 (21%) |
| On disability | 6 (32%) | 0 (0%) |
| Homemaker | 0 (0%) | 1 (5%) |
| Unemployed | 0 (0%) | 1 (5%) |
| Other | 1 (5%) | 0 (0%) |
| Current relationship status: n (%) | ||
| Married | 9 (47%) | 11 (58%) |
| Divorced or separated | 4 (21%) | 5 (26%) |
| Widowed | 4 (21%) | 0 (0%) |
| Never married | 1 (5%) | 1 (5%) |
| Member of an unmarried couple | 1 (5%) | 2 (11%) |
| Total household income: n (%) | ||
| Below $40,000 | 8 (42%) | 4 (21%) |
| ≥$40,000 | 8 (42%) | 11 (58%) |
| Decline to answer | 3 (16%) | 4 (21%) |
| Relationship to patient: n (%) | ||
| Spouse or significant othera | N/A | 11 (58%) |
| Daughter | 6 (32%) | |
| Son | 1 (5%) | |
| Other relative | 1 (5%) | |
| Relationship lengthb: mean (range) | 45 (8–66) | Same |
| Living in same household: n (%) | 12 (63%) | Same |
| Hours per week spent caregiving: n (%) | n = 18 | |
| <1 h | N/A | 2 (11%) |
| 1–2 h | 1 (6%) | |
| 3–5 h | 3 (17%) | |
| 6–8 h | 3 (17%) | |
| >8 h | 9 (50%) | |
| Survey measures | ||
| Relationship qualityc: mean (SD) | – | 3.07 (0.78) |
| Caregiver benefit findingd: mean (SD) | – | 2.64 (0.75) |
| Caregiver burdene: mean (SD) | – | 23.7 (13.37) |
| Depressive symptomsf: mean (SD) | – | 4.47 (5.40) |
LVEF = left ventricular ejection fractions; NYHA = New York Heart Association.
a
Includes one partner/significant other and two ex-wives.
b
Response to the question, “About how many years have you known each other?”
c
Mutuality Scale of the Family Caregiving Inventory, scale range 0–4; higher scores indicate better relationship quality.
d
Benefit Finding Scale, scale range 0–4; higher scores indicate more perceived benefit.
e
Zarit Burden Inventory, cumulative score, scale range 0–88; higher scores indicate more perceived burden.
f
Patient Health Questionnaire-9, scale range 0–27; higher scores indicate greater frequency of depressive symptoms.