Subjective wellbeing amongst informal caregivers of people with wounds: A cross-sectional survey

Objective: The present study investigated subjective wellbeing amongst informal caregivers of people with wounds. Although under-investigated in the wound care literature, prior research indicates that informal caregiving results in a series of poorer outcomes for the caregiver.

Methods: A convenience sample of 57 caregivers (16 male, 41 female, 19–84 years old), was recruited from public outpatient facilities. Participants completed measures of caregiving satisfaction, and subjective wellbeing, in addition to characteristics about themselves and the care provided.

Results: The informal caregivers of people with wounds scored significantly lower on a measure of subjective wellbeing than the Australian population to a large effect (d = 1.11). Negative associations were identified between sleep and subjective wellbeing, while positive associations were found between caregiving satisfaction, and relationship quality with subjective wellbeing.

Discussion: Caregivers displayed lower subjective wellbeing than the general population. Subjective wellbeing was related to sleep, satisfaction, and relationship quality. Future research should compare outcomes of the caregivers of people with different forms of wounds, and should determine if correlating stressors and mediators are causal to wellbeing.