AIMS

Mutuality, a positive quality of the relationship between patients and their informal caregivers characterized by love and affection, shared pleasurable activities, shared values, and reciprocity, influences several patient-caregiver outcomes in chronic-condition cases, but it remains unknown whether it influences the heart failure (HF) patient-caregiver dyad quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of mutuality and its four dimensions (love and affection, shared pleasurable activities, shared values, and reciprocity) on QOL in HF patient-caregiver dyads.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Cross-sectional study: Using the actor-partner interdependence model, we examined how an individual's mutuality influenced his/her own QOL (actor effect) and his/her partner's QOL (partner effect). Mutuality and physical and mental QOL were measured with the Mutuality Scale and Short Form 12, respectively. A total of 494 HF patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled in the study. Mutuality showed strong evidence of caregiver partner effects on the HF patients' physical QOL (total score B = 2.503, P = 0.001; shared pleasurable activities B = 2.265, P < 0.001; shared values B = 1.174, P = 0.420 and reciprocity B = 1.888, P = 0.001). For the mental QOL, mutuality and its four subscales had actor effects only on the patients' mental health (total mutuality B = 2.646, P = 0.003; love and affection B = 1.599, P = 0.360; shared pleasurable activities B = 2.599, P = 0.001; shared values B = 1.564, P = 0.001 and reciprocity B = 1.739, P = 0.020). In caregivers, mutuality had an actor effects on mental QOL (total score B = 1.548, P = 0.041 and reciprocity B = 1.526, P = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the important role of mutuality in determining the physical and mental QOL in HF patient-caregiver dyads. Interventions aimed at improving the relationships within HF patient-caregiver dyads may have an impact on HF patients' and caregivers' QOL.