Gender differences in partners of patients with COPD and their perceptions about the patients

Abstract

Background/objectivesChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) not only affects patients but also their partners. Gender-related differences in patients with COPD are known, for instance regarding symptoms and quality of life. Yet, research regarding gender differences in partners of patients with COPD has been conducted to a lesser extent, and most research focused on female partners. We aimed to investigate differences between male and female partners of patients with COPD regarding their own characteristics and their perceptions of patients’ characteristics.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingFour hospitals in the Netherlands.ParticipantsOne hundred and eighty-eight patient–partner couples were included in this cross-sectional study.MeasurementsGeneral and clinical characteristics, health status, care dependency, symptoms of anxiety and depression, social support, caregiver burden, and coping styles were assessed during a home visit.ResultsFemale partners had more symptoms of anxiety and a worse health status than male partners. Social support and caregiver burden were comparable, but coping styles differed between male and female partners. Female partners thought that male patients were less care dependent and had more symptoms of depression, while these gender differences did not exist in patients themselves.ConclusionHealth care providers should pay attention to the needs of all partners of patients with COPD, but female partners in particular. Obtaining an extensive overview of the patient–partner couple, including coping styles, health status, symptoms of anxiety, and caregiver burden, is necessary to be able to support the couple as effectively as possible.

Changes over time in family members of adults with mild traumatic brain injury

“…Caring for a family member with terminal cancer is clearly far removed from caring for a family member with mild TBI. However, similar associations have been found between the poorer well-being of female family caregivers compared to male caregivers across a range of health populations, including mental illness (Sharma, Chakrabarti, & Grover, 2016), sclerosis (Qutub, Lacomis, Albert, & Feingold, 2014) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Nakken et al, 2017). Yet, it is unknown whether similar risks for poor outcomes are evident among those caring for adult family members with mild TBI.…”

Assessing carer needs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

“… 1 The physical effects and functional limitations that COPD patients face daily, particularly in advanced disease, require support from others. 2 , 3 Carers (family members and friends in a supportive role) have been described as ‘potential agents of change that can facilitate and enhance adherence of COPD management behaviours’ 4 (pp. 1588) and provide helpful insights on patients’ limitations.…”

“…1588) and provide helpful insights on patients’ limitations. 2 However, carers of patients with COPD provide support beyond enabling delivery of healthcare provider recommendations 5 – they provide the majority of physical and psychological support to enable patients to complete basic activities of daily living in order to function, 6 for example, bathing, dressing, housework and shopping. That supportive input can also include overnight vigilance.…”

“…But carers can also be over protective, 7 leading to patient frustration, 8 and can make patients more dependent. 2 , 9 – 11 …”

“… 12 , 13 Carers of patients with COPD report anxiety, depression, fatigue, strain, social isolation, uncertainty, confusion, powerlessness, helplessness, loss of freedom, relationship difficulties, loss of intimacy, psychological distress, resentment, sleep disturbance, guilt and boredom. 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 14 – 31 Personal, relational and cultural factors can significantly affect the balance between coping capacity and illness burden, increasing the risk of carer vulnerability. 17 Carers are patients too 32 and have their own support needs.…”