Longitudinal Health-Related Quality of Life in Military Caregivers No Longer Providing Care

Purpose/Objective: To examine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in caregivers when providing care and no longer providing care to service members/veterans with traumatic brain injury. Research Method/Design: Participants included 466 caregivers enrolled in a 15-year longitudinal study. During an annual follow-up evaluation, a subsample of caregivers self-identified as no longer providing care and were retained in the study as a No Longer Caregiving group (n = 48). Scores on HRQOL measures when providing care (baseline) and no longer providing care (follow-up) were examined. Scores on HRQOL measures were also compared with the remaining 418 caregivers (Caregiving group). Results: The most frequent reasons for no longer caregiving were no longer being in a relationship with the SMV and the SMV had recovered/no longer required care. The No Longer Caregiving group at follow-up reported better scores on five measures compared to baseline, and three measures compared to the Caregiving group. There were no differences in the proportion of clinically elevated scores on HRQOL measures for the No Longer Caregiving group between baseline and follow-up. Compared to the Caregiving group, the No Longer Caregiving group reported a higher prevalence of clinical elevated scores on General Life Satisfaction at baseline and follow-up, and worse scores on Caregiving Relationship Satisfaction and the Couples Satisfaction Index at baseline. Conclusions/Implications: While some improvement in HRQOL was noted when caregivers were no longer providing care, many continued to report elevated scores. Services and supports are required for caregivers when providing care, but also when transitioning out of a caregiving role. Impact and Implications Many caregivers of service members and veterans (SMVs) with traumatic brain injury and comorbidities reported poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Over the first year of transitioning from providing care to no longer providing care, there was some improvement in scores on HRQOL measures. However, many participants continued to report clinically elevated HRQOL scores. Services and supports are required to help caregivers not only when they are in a caregiving role, but also when transitioning to no longer caregiving. Preparing military families with coping skills to help adapt to change and adversity related to deployment and combat-related physical and mental health conditions may help moderate or mediate the strength of the neg