Self-Rated Health, Depression and Anxiety in Family Caregivers of Terminal Cancer Patients: The Mediating Effects of Bonding Social Capital and Bridging Social Capital

Abstract

There have been only a limited number of studies on the mediating effects of bonding social capital and bridging social capital on the relationship of self-rated health with anxiety and depression in family caregivers of terminal cancer patients. This study aims to examine the effects of self-rated health on anxiety and depression and to investigate the mediating effects of bonding social capital and bridging social capital on the relationship of self-rated health with anxiety and depression in family caregivers of terminal cancer patients. Through purposive sampling, a total of 260 people were surveyed from Seoul, Bucheon city, Daejeon city, Sejong city and Busan city. The collected data were analyzed by structural equation model. The results are as follows. First, self-rated health showed a positive relationship with anxiety and depression. Second, self-rated health showed a negative relationship with bonding social capital, and the bonding social capital decreased anxiety and depression respectively. Third, self-rated health had a negative relationship with bridging social capital, and the bridging social capital decreased depression only. Fourth, the relationship of self-rated health with anxiety and depression was mediated by bonding social capital. On the other hand, bridging social capital mediated the relationship between self-rated health and anxiety only. These results imply that bonding social capital and bridging social capital are definitely necessary to increase self-rated health and to reduce anxiety and depression in family caregivers of terminal cancer patients. Based on these findings, this study suggested several relevant proposals from social welfare perspective.