April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: A Communication Process Model for Caregivers’ Clinical Communication Behaviors: Spousal Blood Cancer Caregivers’ Perspectives
Background: Spouses are the most common informal caregiver and critical to supporting patients’ care needs and promoting better outcomes. They commonly play an active role during clinical appointments, and their ability to communicate effectively is critical to fulfilling their caregiving role and meeting their spouse’s needs. In a previous study with spousal caregivers, we developed a communication process model showcasing caregiver communication behaviors they enact before, during, after, and between appointments to facilitate care and triadic medical encounters. The current study sought to validate the model.
Objectives: We aimed to validate the model by 1) measuring caregivers’ frequency of using communication behaviors in each phase of the model; 2) examining how these caregiving behaviors were associated with other psychosocial outcomes; and 3) exploring gender differences amongst caregiver communication behaviors.
Methods: We conducted an online survey among 143 spousal blood cancer caregivers over a three-week period during Spring 2023 which asked about caregivers’ familial/spousal and clinical communication and distress. We created a scale of the communication behaviors identified in the model, addressing each phase of the communication process caregivers engage in. Data were analyzed descriptively and for correlations.
Result: The scale developed based on our model was reliable (α = .93). Caregiver behaviors most frequently reported were identified in each phase and included discussing questions to ask the doctor(s) with a spouse before the appointment (n=113), asking a spouse's doctor(s) questions during medical encounters (n=124), and discussing information from the appointment after with a spouse (n=125).
Caregivers who reported keeping a list of questions to ask before appointments and debriefed after the appointment with their spouse reported greater openness to discussing cancer in the family (t = -3.228, p = .002; t = -2.243, p = .027). Some behaviors that caregivers reported using before appointments (e.g., keeping a list of questions to ask) were associated with a higher amount of caregiver-reported communication behaviors used during the appointment.
Female caregivers were significantly more likely than male caregivers to communicate with a spouse’s doctors (online or by phone) between appointments to ensure they received needed care (ϰ2 = 21.96, p < .001) and to manage or coordinate spouse’s care (ϰ2 = 14.80, p < .001). Female caregivers were also most likely to communicate with insurance carriers or healthcare billing personnel to address financial coverage care between appointments (ϰ2 = 6.35, p = 01).
Conclusion/Implications: Findings validate the communication process model of behaviors caregivers engage in before, during, after, and in between doctor(s) appointments to facilitate care. Interventions that teach caregivers these key behaviors to facilitate clinical communication skills may benefit from incorporating behaviors that are enacted before or after appointments as this was associated with a higher amount of caregiver-reported communication behaviors enacted during appointments. Additionally, interventions to facilitate healthy communication behaviors can incorporate findings to be adapted toward spousal caregiving relationships.
Objectives: We aimed to validate the model by 1) measuring caregivers’ frequency of using communication behaviors in each phase of the model; 2) examining how these caregiving behaviors were associated with other psychosocial outcomes; and 3) exploring gender differences amongst caregiver communication behaviors.
Methods: We conducted an online survey among 143 spousal blood cancer caregivers over a three-week period during Spring 2023 which asked about caregivers’ familial/spousal and clinical communication and distress. We created a scale of the communication behaviors identified in the model, addressing each phase of the communication process caregivers engage in. Data were analyzed descriptively and for correlations.
Result: The scale developed based on our model was reliable (α = .93). Caregiver behaviors most frequently reported were identified in each phase and included discussing questions to ask the doctor(s) with a spouse before the appointment (n=113), asking a spouse's doctor(s) questions during medical encounters (n=124), and discussing information from the appointment after with a spouse (n=125).
Caregivers who reported keeping a list of questions to ask before appointments and debriefed after the appointment with their spouse reported greater openness to discussing cancer in the family (t = -3.228, p = .002; t = -2.243, p = .027). Some behaviors that caregivers reported using before appointments (e.g., keeping a list of questions to ask) were associated with a higher amount of caregiver-reported communication behaviors used during the appointment.
Female caregivers were significantly more likely than male caregivers to communicate with a spouse’s doctors (online or by phone) between appointments to ensure they received needed care (ϰ2 = 21.96, p < .001) and to manage or coordinate spouse’s care (ϰ2 = 14.80, p < .001). Female caregivers were also most likely to communicate with insurance carriers or healthcare billing personnel to address financial coverage care between appointments (ϰ2 = 6.35, p = 01).
Conclusion/Implications: Findings validate the communication process model of behaviors caregivers engage in before, during, after, and in between doctor(s) appointments to facilitate care. Interventions that teach caregivers these key behaviors to facilitate clinical communication skills may benefit from incorporating behaviors that are enacted before or after appointments as this was associated with a higher amount of caregiver-reported communication behaviors enacted during appointments. Additionally, interventions to facilitate healthy communication behaviors can incorporate findings to be adapted toward spousal caregiving relationships.