The Association of Self-esteem With Caregiving Demands, Coping, Burden, and Health Among Caregivers of Breast Cancer Patients: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Background We investigated how caregiver self-esteem was associated with caregiving demands, coping, burden, and health. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate how caregiver self-esteem is associated with caregiving demands, coping, burden, and health. Methods Sixty-one caregivers of breast cancer patients were selected from a study conducted at a cancer clinic in the Southeastern region of the United States. Guided by the revised Stress and Coping Theory, a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data was conducted. We used structural equation modeling to analyze paths between caregiver self-esteem and caregiving demands (ie, hours spent on caregiving), coping, burden, and health. Results Caregivers who effectively coped with stressful situations through strategies such as positive thinking, seeking social support, and problem solving were more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem; in turn, higher levels of self-esteem decreased caregiver burden and improved caregiver overall health. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of self-esteem among caregivers of breast cancer patients. Additional research is needed to provide more insight into the influence of coping strategies on caregiver self-esteem, as well as the role of caregiver self-esteem on caregivers' and patients' well-being. Implication for practice Healthcare providers need to consider caregiver self-esteem and other associated caregiver characteristics to identify caregivers at risk of higher perceived levels of burden and poor overall health.