Year: 2017
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Studying factors influencing caregiver burden implies that, in addition to the caregivers’ quality of life, such burden may influence the health trajectory of care recipients. Five domains of caregiver burden are analyzed in relation to care recipients’ change in cognitive status one year later using National Health and Aging Trends Study and linked National Study on Caregiving data. A sample of 703 care recipients whose baseline cognitive status is not probable dementia, and their primary informal caregivers, are included. Caregiver burden dimensions of social limitation, role overload, and psychological distress are associated with care recipients’ transition to probable dementia, while positive mood and financial burden are not, in separate regression models with controls for care recipients’ sex, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, self-rated health, and “possible dementia” status. When all five domains are included in the same model, social limitation is the sole net predictor of cognitive status change. Determinants of caregiver burden are examined as well. Simultaneous regression of all five burden measures on care recipient and caregiver characteristics reveals several factors. Notable predictors of specific caregiver burdens are recipients’ relationship to the caregiver, their health, and caregivers’ employment status, marital status, and gender. Caregiver commitment to a set schedule of caregiving is associated with social limitation, role overload, and psychological distress. Distress is greater among sons who are primary caregivers, compared with those who are the care recipients’ spouse, while being married (but not the recipients’ spouse), is protective. Additional findings will be reported, and their implications discussed.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Authors: D. Lloyd, M.P. Aranda
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2740673331