• Claire E Koljack, Janis Miyasaki, Lindsay P Prizer, Maya Katz, Nick Galifianakis, Stefan H Sillau, and Benzi M Kluger.
• Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
• J Palliat Med. 2022 Apr 1; 25 (4): 606613606-613.

AbstractBackground: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative illness that causes disability through both motor and nonmotor symptoms. Family caregivers provide substantial care to persons living with PD, often at great personal cost. While spiritual well-being and spirituality have been suggested to promote resiliency in caregivers of persons living with cancer and dementia, this issue has not been explored in PD. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of spiritual well-being in PD patients' caregivers. Design: A cross-sectional analysis was performed. Our primary outcome measure, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp), was measured in caregivers alongside measures of patient quality of life, symptom burden, global function, grief, and spiritual well-being and caregiver mood, burden, and perceptions of patient quality of life. Univariate correlation and multiple regression were used to determine associations between predictor variables and caregiver FACIT-Sp. Setting/Subjects: PD patient/caregiver dyads were recruited through three academic medical centers in the United States and Canada and regional community support groups. Results: We recruited 183 dyads. Patient faith, symptom burden, health-related quality of life, depression, motor function, and grief were significant predictors of caregiver spiritual well-being. Predictive caregiver factors included caregiver depression and anxiety. These factors remained significant in combined models, suggesting that both patient and caregiver factors make independent contributions to caregiver spiritual well-being. Conclusions: The present study suggests that both patient and caregiver factors are associated with spiritual well-being in PD. Further study is needed to understand the causal relationship of these factors and whether interventions to support caregiver spiritual well-being improve outcomes for caregivers or patients. Clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT02533921.

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