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Atefi GL, Koh WQ, Kohl G, Seydavi M, Swift JK, Akbari M, de Vugt ME. Adherence to Online Interventions for Family Caregivers of People With Dementia: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2024; 32:1271-1291. [PMID: 38735829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Online interventions hold promise in supporting the well-being of family caregivers and enhancing the quality of care they provide for individuals with long-term or chronic conditions. However, dropout rates from support programs among specific groups of caregivers, such as caregivers of people with dementia, pose a challenge. Focused reviews are needed to provide more accurate insights and estimates in this specific research area. METHODS A meta-analysis of dropout rates from available online interventions for family caregivers of people with dementia was conducted to assess treatment acceptability. A systematic search yielded 18 studies involving 1,215 caregivers. RESULTS The overall pooled dropout rate was 18.4%, with notable heterogeneity indicating varied intervention adherence. Interventions incorporating human contact, interactive features, and personalization strategies for specific types and stages of dementia predicted significantly lower dropout rates. Methodological assessment revealed variability in study quality. CONCLUSION Findings support the effectiveness of social support, personalization strategies, and co-design in enhancing intervention adherence among dementia family caregivers. Further research is needed to explore factors influencing dropout rates and conduct robust trials to refine the implementation of future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golnaz L Atefi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Alzheimer Centre Limburg (GLA, MEV), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Wei Qi Koh
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (WQK), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gianna Kohl
- Research Department of Clinical (GK), Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mohammad Seydavi
- Department of Clinical Psychology (MS, MA), Faculty of Psychology and Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Joshua K Swift
- Department of Psychology (JKS), Idaho State University, 921 S. 8th St, Pocatello, ID
| | - Mehdi Akbari
- Department of Clinical Psychology (MS, MA), Faculty of Psychology and Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Marjolein E de Vugt
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Alzheimer Centre Limburg (GLA, MEV), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Mygind A, Offersen SMH, Guldin MB, Christensen KS, Nielsen MK. How to support caregivers in general practice: development of the Caregiver Care Model. Palliat Care Soc Pract 2024; 18:26323524241272103. [PMID: 39346009 PMCID: PMC11437575 DOI: 10.1177/26323524241272103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Caring for a family member can be demanding, particularly when caregivers experience profound distress. Supportive interventions may help prevent mental and physical illness in the caregiver. General practice plays a key role by regularly engaging with patients and caregivers, thereby being able to identify their support needs, offer talk therapy and refer to care initiatives. Objective This study aimed to develop and pilot-test the Caregiver Care Model to mitigate grief reactions among caregivers in general practice. Design A participatory intervention development study. Methods A prototype was developed in a workshop with healthcare professionals. The prototype was refined based on a pilot-test among 40 caregivers from 5 general practice clinics and a workshop with general practitioners. The data were obtained from workshops, feedback questionnaires completed by healthcare professionals, and interviews with caregivers and general practitioners. The analysis focused on model development and mechanisms of impact. Results The prototype was refined by focusing the dialogue questionnaire, minimising the grief facilitation tools and expanding the target group. The prototype seemed to accommodate the needs among caregivers by acknowledging their situation. The final model includes up to seven caregiver consultations in general practice. A dialogue questionnaire filled in by the caregiver serves as a fixed starting point and preparation for the first consultation. If needed, talk therapy in general practice or referrals to other services are used. Conclusion The model offers promising support for caregivers. Its flexible structure allows for customisation. The viability of the model should be further tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mygind
- Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Allé 2, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark
| | | | | | - Kaj S Christensen
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Cai Y, Ren X, Hou Y, Zhang M, Wang J, Chen O. Impact of caregiving on frailty in older spousal caregivers: A retrospective cohort study. Geriatr Nurs 2024; 59:687-693. [PMID: 39216260 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Older spousal caregivers bear the dual burden of managing health changes and caring for their partners. This study aimed to investigate the association between spousal caregiving and frailty in older adults. A retrospective cohort study with a 4-year follow-up was conducted using seven waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2018). The mean age of participants was 65.1 years. A significant correlation was found between spousal caregiving and frailty increase. Multilevel analysis demonstrated a significant difference in the changes in frailty index over 12 years between caregivers and non-caregivers. This study uncovered a significant association between spousal caregiving and frailty in older adults, suggesting that becoming a spousal caregiver is not only linked to higher levels of frailty but also accelerates its progression. Healthcare providers can tailor support services to assist caregivers in managing challenges and promoting healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Cai
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Xiaohe Ren
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Yue Hou
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Mengyuan Zhang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China
| | - Ou Chen
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, PR China.
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Morganti F, Gattuso M, Singh Solorzano C, Bonomini C, Rosini S, Ferrari C, Pievani M, Festari C. Virtual Reality-Based Psychoeducation for Dementia Caregivers: The Link between Caregivers' Characteristics and Their Sense of Presence. Brain Sci 2024; 14:852. [PMID: 39335348 PMCID: PMC11430185 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14090852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In neuropsychology and clinical psychology, the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) experiences for knowledge acquisition and the potential for modifying conduct are well documented. Consequently, the scope of VR experiences for educational purposes has expanded in the health field in recent years. In this study, we sought to assess the effectiveness of ViveDe in a psychoeducational caregiver program. ViveDe is a VR application that presents users with possible daily life situations from the perspective of individuals with dementia. These situations can be experienced in immersive mode through 360° video. This research aimed to ascertain the associations between the sense of presence that can be achieved in VR and some users' psychological characteristics, such as distress and empathetic disposition. The study involved 36 informal caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. These participants were assessed using scales of anxiety and depression, perceived stress, empathy, and emotional regulation. They were asked to participate in a six-session psychoeducation program conducted online on dementia topics, in addition to experiencing the ViveDe application. The immersive VR sessions enabled the caregivers to directly experience the symptoms of dementia (e.g., spatial disorientation, agnosia, difficulty in problem-solving, and anomia) in everyday and social settings. The results indicated that although the experience in ViveDe (evaluated using the XRPS scale and five questions about emotional attunement) showed efficacy in producing a sense of first-person participation in the symptoms of dementia, further research is needed to confirm this. The structural equation model provided evidence that the characteristics of individuals who enjoy the VR experience play a determining role in the perceived sense of presence, which in turn affects the efficacy of the VR experience as a psychoeducational tool. Further research will be conducted to ascertain the potential role of these elements in conveying change in the caregivers of people with dementia. This will help us study the long-term effectiveness of a large-scale psychoeducation program in VR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Morganti
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy;
- CHL—Centre for Healthy Longevity, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Maria Gattuso
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy;
| | - Claudio Singh Solorzano
- Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS—Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (C.S.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Cristina Bonomini
- U.O. Alzheimer, IRCCS—Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Sandra Rosini
- U.O. Alzheimer, IRCCS—Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Clarissa Ferrari
- Research and Clinical Trials Office, Istituto Ospedaliero Fondazione Poliambulanza, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Michela Pievani
- Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS—Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (C.S.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Cristina Festari
- Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS—Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (C.S.S.); (M.P.)
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Ramirez M, Teresi JA, Silver S, Gonzalez-Lopez P, van Meer I, Ghaemmaghamfarahani I, Boratgis G, Devenand D, Luchsinger JA. The lucidity in dementia experience: perspectives from family and professional caregivers. Age Ageing 2024; 53:afae174. [PMID: 39158483 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family and professional caregivers of individuals with dementia often witness care-receiver's lucidity events. OBJECTIVE A qualitative data analysis was performed of documented family and professional caregivers' experiences and their respective appraisals of lucidity events. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using a reduction method of selection, data from 10 in-home family caregivers and 20 professional caregivers to long-term care residents was content-coded and analysed. Framed by a priori research questions, a summative approach to qualitative content analysis guided the interpretation of findings. RESULTS Eight of 10 family- and 15 of 20 staff caregivers gave an example of what they believed was a witnessed lucid event; 88% of family- and 40% of staff caregivers' provided examples that appeared to fit the conceptual definition of lucidity. The emotional impact that the events had on both sets of caregivers was reported. Family caregivers' characterization of lucidity events reflected appraisals of a puzzling occurrence while staff caregivers depicted elements associated with dementia, and lucidity descriptors. The enhanced verbal communication followed by the brief, unexpected quality of lucidity, were the main elements highlighted by both sets of caregivers in their description of lucidity to others. The variability and complexity of the lucidity phenomenon and the potential challenges it poses for both sets of caregivers were characterized. Commonalities and divergences across responses were highlighted. DISCUSSION Findings validated previous studies' results. The notions introduced by both types of caregivers were thought-provoking and borne practical, clinical, ethical, and assessment (measurement) applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred Ramirez
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Department of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Jeanne A Teresi
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Department of Medicine, Stroud Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie Silver
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Department of Medicine, New York, USA
| | | | - Irena van Meer
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Department of Medicine, New York, USA
| | | | - Gabriel Boratgis
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Department of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Davangere Devenand
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry; Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jose A Luchsinger
- Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Stroud Center, New York, NY, USA
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Sadek AT, Djerdjour L, Reyes RA, Adams GP, Logan CH, Smith MA, Biddle SG, Wiles TS, Urrea-Mendoza E, McConnell TM, Revilla FJ, Trilk JL. The Feasibility and Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Tandem Cycling Program for Persons with Parkinson's Disease and Their Care Partners. Neurol Ther 2024; 13:1237-1257. [PMID: 38878129 PMCID: PMC11263444 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-024-00636-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Persons with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) suffer from motor and non-motor symptoms which significantly affect their quality of life (QoL), and the QoL of their care partners (CP). Tandem cycling reduces PwPD motor symptoms; however, no studies have examined other benefits or included PwPD CP. We conducted an 8-week community virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling intervention to assess the feasibility and efficacy for PwPD and their CP (i.e., PD dyads). We hypothesized that dyadic tandem cycling would improve (1) PwPD motor and non-motor symptoms and (2) dimensions of PD dyads' QoL and physiologic health. METHODS Ten PD dyads were recruited to complete 8 weeks of progressive intensity, bi-weekly tandem cycling. At pre- and post-testing, PwPD were assessed using the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (MDS-UPDRS-III), functional gait assessment (FGA), and 10-m gait speed test. PD dyads also completed emotional and cognitive status questionnaires [e.g., Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF)], and wore BodyGuard 2 heart rate (HR) monitors for 48 h to assess surrogate measures of heart rate variability. Statistical analyses were conducted using Student's t tests with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS Eight PD dyads and one PwPD completed the intervention. Retention of PwPD (90%) and CP (80%) was adequate, and PD dyad adherence ranged from 91.67 to 97.91%. PwPD demonstrated significant clinical improvements in MDS-UPDRS-III scores (- 7.38, p < 0.01), FGA scores (+ 3.50, p < 0.01), and 10-m gait speed times (+ 0.27 m/s, p < 0.01), in addition to significant self-reported improvements in mobility (- 13.61, p = 0.02), fatigue (- 5.99, p = 0.02), and social participation (+ 4.69, p < 0.01). CP depressive symptoms significantly decreased (- 0.88, p = 0.02), and PD dyads shared a significant increase in root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION Our pilot study demonstrated feasibility and multiple areas of efficacy supporting further investigation of community VR tandem cycling as a therapeutic intervention for PD dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alia T Sadek
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
| | - Leila Djerdjour
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | - Ryan A Reyes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | - Greggory P Adams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | - Cara H Logan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | - Margaret A Smith
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | - Sara G Biddle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
| | | | - Enrique Urrea-Mendoza
- Department of Clinical Science/TMH Physicians Partners, Medical School, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Tracie M McConnell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
- Neuroscience Associates, Prisma Health-Upstate, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Fredy J Revilla
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
- Neuroscience Associates, Prisma Health-Upstate, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Jennifer L Trilk
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA
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van der Ploeg ES, Bitane RM, Schoones JW, Achterberg WP, Smaling HJA. Mind-body practices for people living with dementia and their family carers: a systematic review. JOURNAL OF COMPLEMENTARY & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2024; 0:jcim-2024-0142. [PMID: 39005049 DOI: 10.1515/jcim-2024-0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People with dementia and their family carers may benefit from non-pharmacological interventions, including mind-body (MB-) practices, which can improve physical and mental health by inducing relaxation. This systematic review provides an overview of availability and effects of MB-practices. CONTENT The authors performed a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Academic Search Premier on February 1, 2024. Research papers on MB-practices for people with dementia and/or their family carers in English, Chinese, Japanese, German, French and Dutch were included if a full text was available. Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were conducted by two researchers. SUMMARY Of the 130 included studies, 100 (77 %) were of high quality. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and touch interventions for people with dementia, and meditations for family carers resulted in improvements in respectively cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and mental health. Lack of evidence for other MB-practices is related to small numbers of studies, fragmented use of outcome measures and mixed findings. OUTLOOK MB-practices showed promising results. We recommend implementation and further research of TCM- and touch interventions for people with dementia as well as meditations for family carers. We suggest a cross-over of the promising results of one group to be studied in the other group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva S van der Ploeg
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rutger M Bitane
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W Schoones
- Directorate of Research Policy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wilco P Achterberg
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
- University Network for the Care sector Zuid-Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke J A Smaling
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
- University Network for the Care sector Zuid-Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Altintas E, Luyat M, Gallouj K, Hülür G, El Haj M. Burden of family caregivers in Alzheimer's disease: The role of caregivers' perception of cognitive impairment. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38967486 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2024.2367102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined the role of caregivers' perception of cognitive impairment in burden of family caregivers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that the evaluation of cognitive impairment by family caregivers plays a pivotal role in burden. METHODS The study included 110 dyads (person with AD and their caregiver) recruited from a Memory Unit in France. The cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms of person with AD were evaluated by a geriatrician using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Caregivers provided self-reports on the perception of cognitive impairment (IQCODE) of the care recipient, the caregiving burden (ZBI), depressive symptoms (GDS-15), and self-esteem (RSE). Descriptive analyses, comparison of different caregiver burden groups, and multinomial logistic regression analyses to understand correlates of caregiver burden were conducted with SPSS®, version 20. RESULTS The findings show that the caregivers are on average 60 years old and the majority are women. They care for persons with AD, who are on average 82 years old and most of whom are women. Our results show that the duration of caregiving, depression of the caregiver, and caregivers' perception of cognitive impairment contribute significantly to burden of caregiver. DISCUSSION This study shows that it is necessary to adopt the caregiver-centered approach to support the dyad. The role of the caregivers' perception of cognitive impairment in AD should be developed when supporting caregivers in suffering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emin Altintas
- Univ. Lille, ULR 4072 - PSITEC - Psychologie: Interactions, Temps, Emotions, Cognition, Lille, France
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France
| | - Marion Luyat
- Univ. Lille, ULR 4072 - PSITEC - Psychologie: Interactions, Temps, Emotions, Cognition, Lille, France
| | - Karim Gallouj
- Univ. Lille, ULR 4072 - PSITEC - Psychologie: Interactions, Temps, Emotions, Cognition, Lille, France
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France
| | - Gizem Hülür
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mohamad El Haj
- Unité de Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France
- Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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Emami A, Jun J, Theorell T, Engström G, Berglund L. Day-to-day variability of stress biomarkers during a music intervention in people living with dementia and their family caregivers. Sci Prog 2024; 107:368504241263692. [PMID: 39051501 PMCID: PMC11273560 DOI: 10.1177/00368504241263692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azita Emami
- Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jeehye Jun
- Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Töres Theorell
- Division of International Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Engström
- School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Lars Berglund
- School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Epistat AB, Uppsala, Sweden
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Moazzami K, Kulshreshtha A, Gold M, Rahbar A, Goldstein F, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA. Hemodynamic Reactivity to Mental Stress and Cognitive Function in Coronary Artery Disease. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:498-506. [PMID: 38648028 PMCID: PMC11270642 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with coronary artery disease (CAD) are at higher risk of cognitive impairment than those without CAD. Psychological stress is a risk factor for both conditions, and assessing the hemodynamic reactivity to mental stress could explain the link between stress and cognitive function. METHODS A total of 779 individuals with stable CAD from two prospective cohort studies were included. All individuals underwent acute mental stress testing, as well as conventional stress testing. Cognitive function was assessed both at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up. The rate-pressure product (RPP) was calculated as the mean systolic blood pressure times the mean heart rate at rest. RPP reactivity was defined as the maximum RPP during standardized mental stress test minus the RPP at rest. RESULTS After multivariable adjustment, every standard deviation decrease in RPP reactivity with mental stress was associated with slower completion of Trail-A and Trail-B in both cohorts (13% and 11% in cohort 1, and 15% and 16% in cohort 2, respectively; p for all <.01). After a 2-year follow-up period, every standard deviation decrease in RPP reactivity with mental stress was associated with a 8% and 9% slower completion of Trail-A and Trail-B, respectively ( p for all <.01). There was no significant association between RPP reactivity with conventional stress testing and any of the cognitive tests. CONCLUSION In the CAD population, a blunted hemodynamic response to mental stress is associated with slower visuomotor processing and worse executive function at baseline and with greater decline in these abilities over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- From the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (Moazzami, Gold, Rahbar, Quyyumi), Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute; Grady Health System (Moazzami); Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health (Kulshreshtha, Shah, Vaccarino), Emory University; Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine (Kulshreshtha) and Neurology (Goldstein), and Goizuetta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Goldstein), Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta; Atlanta VA Medical Center (Shah, Bremner), Decatur; Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (Bremner) and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Bremner), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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11
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Su Q, Fan L. Impact of caregiving on mental, self-rated, and physical health: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study. Qual Life Res 2024; 33:1-10. [PMID: 38644418 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-024-03659-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Given the escalating demand for care services, understanding the impact of informal caregiving, providing unpaid care for family members, on own health is essential. This study longitudinally analyzed the association of caregiving (and different caregiver types) with mental, physical, and self-rated health. Urban-rural, gender, and employment heterogeneity were further investigated. METHOD Based on three-wave data (2011, 2013, and 2018) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we used growth curve models to assess the impact of informal caregiving (providing care to family members) and caregiver types (caregivers to grandchildren, parents, spouses, or multiple family members) on three health outcomes (depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and activities of daily living limitations). RESULTS Our study included 13,377 individuals. Results showed a negative correlation of caregiving with mental, physical, and self-rated health. Compared to noncaregivers, spousal caregivers and multiple caregivers were both associated with worsening mental, self-rated, and physical health. In contrast, adult child caregivers were only negatively associated with mental health, and grandparent caregiving did not significantly affect any health outcomes. Further heterogeneity analysis showed that gender did not moderate the relationship between caregiving and health, whereas the negative association between caregiving and health was more pronounced among the rural population and those employed in agriculture. DISCUSSION Findings from the present study suggest that caregiving is detrimental to health, and recommend considering caregiver type when examining caregiving and health. These findings have vital implications for policymakers in addressing the challenges of structuring and implementing a sustainable informal care system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Su
- School of Public Health, Southeast University, No.87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lijun Fan
- School of Public Health, Southeast University, No.87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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2024 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3708-3821. [PMID: 38689398 PMCID: PMC11095490 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care and the ramifications of AD for family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report discusses the larger health care system for older adults with cognitive issues, focusing on the role of caregivers and non-physician health care professionals. An estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent or cure AD. Official AD death certificates recorded 119,399 deaths from AD in 2021. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Official counts for more recent years are still being compiled. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2021, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 140%. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2023. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $346.6 billion in 2023. Its costs, however, extend to unpaid caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes. Members of the paid health care and broader community-based workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. However, the United States faces growing shortages across different segments of the dementia care workforce due to a combination of factors, including the absolute increase in the number of people living with dementia. Therefore, targeted programs and care delivery models will be needed to attract, better train and effectively deploy health care and community-based workers to provide dementia care. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2024 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $360 billion. The Special Report investigates how caregivers of older adults with cognitive issues interact with the health care system and examines the role non-physician health care professionals play in facilitating clinical care and access to community-based services and supports. It includes surveys of caregivers and health care workers, focusing on their experiences, challenges, awareness and perceptions of dementia care navigation.
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Teresi JA, Ocepek-Welikson K, Eimicke JP, Ramirez M, Liu S, Silver S, Luchsinger JA. Measurement of Allostatic Load in Caregivers of Older Hispanic People With Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2024; 38:178-188. [PMID: 38751023 PMCID: PMC11149728 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allostatic load (AL) has been studied in the context of biomarkers that may be affected by environmental and contextual stressors, including social determinants of health. The specific stressor studied here is the provision of caregiving to older persons with Alzheimer disease and related disorders. The aims were to examine the factor structure of stress and nonstress biomarkers, different methods for calculating AL, and the relationship of AL with other variables. METHODS Latent variable models were used to examine biomarkers. Regression analyses were performed with the outcomes: AL calculated as percentile-based and clinically-based for both stress and nonstress components. The sample was 187 Hispanic caregivers to individuals with dementia. RESULTS The results of the confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) suggested defining 2 factors: nonstress and stress-related. Performance was better for the CFA results and the associations with covariates when stress and nonstress components were examined separately. Despite some limitations, this is one of the first studies of biomarkers in Hispanic caregivers to patients with dementia. It was possible to explain almost 30% of the variance in the nonstress AL component. CONCLUSION It may be important to differentiate among biomarkers indicative of cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune response as contrasted with the more stress-related biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne A. Teresi
- Columbia University Stroud Center at New York State Psychiatric Institute
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
| | | | | | - Mildred Ramirez
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
| | - Shelley Liu
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | - Stephanie Silver
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
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Zarzycki M, Vilchinsky N, Bei E, Ferraris G, Seddon D, Morrison V. Cross-country variations in the caregiver role: evidence from the ENTWINE-iCohort study. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:898. [PMID: 38532418 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, economically developed countries face similar ageing demographics and the challenge of a 'care gap', yet they vary due to different care and formal support systems, and different cultural and societal norms around illness and care. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine cross-country variations in caregiver motivations, willingness, values, meaning in life, illness beliefs, and experiences of wellbeing, gain, health-related quality of life, burden and depression, across 6 European countries and Israel. Cross-country differences in the above-mentioned informal caregiver experiences are rarely described. METHODS An online survey (ENTWINE-iCohort) was conducted using validated measures wherever possible. This paper utilises data from 879 caregivers and seven countries (Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the UK, and Israel). RESULTS No consistent finding supporting the concurrent relationship between caregiver support policies/country culture and caregiver motivations/willingness was found. Caregivers in countries typically characterised by individualist cultures reported lower familism, higher self-enhancement values, and greater perceived illness threat compared to more collectivist countries. Search for meaning was higher in poorer countries than in wealthier countries. Higher negative caregiver experiences (e.g., burden) and lower positive experiences (e.g., wellbeing) were generally observed in countries with underdeveloped caregiver support as compared to countries with more developed formal support systems. CONCLUSIONS Cross-country variations can be explained to varying degrees by national policies around care (or their absence) and country cultural contexts. The results emphasise the importance of formal support services for achieving positive caregiver experiences, and help inform the development of policies and measures to support caregivers in Europe and Israel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Zarzycki
- Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
- School of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom.
| | - Noa Vilchinsky
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Eva Bei
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Ferraris
- Department of Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diane Seddon
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Val Morrison
- School of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom
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Hong YA, Shen K, Han HR, Ta Park V, Lu HK, Cleaveland C. 'It's a lonely journey': caregiving experiences and psychosocial distress among Chinese American dementia family caregivers. Aging Ment Health 2024; 28:466-472. [PMID: 38038630 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2023.2285918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chinese American family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are a vulnerable but understudied population. The goal of this qualitative study was to examine their caregiving experiences and psychosocial distress process and explore intervention strategies. METHODS In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese American dementia caregivers. All interviews were transcribed verbatim; thematic content analysis was conducted to construct a conceptual framework. RESULTS All participants reported high levels of caregiving stress associated with care-recipients' advanced symptoms and required assistance in activities in daily living. The relationship of caregiver and care-recipient was strained in their roles transition. The complex healthcare system, insurance policies, and a lack of linguistically appropriate services aggravated their psychosocial distress. Chinese cultural norms on 'family harmony' hindered their seeking of social support. Prolonged caregiving stress led to physical and mental impairment, including poor sleep, depression, and chronic conditions. Participants described their caregiving experience as 'a lonely journey' with a pervasive sense of hopelessness and withdrawal; their distress process was positively or negatively influenced by their coping strategies. All participants were eager for any kind of support; especially culturally appropriate programs that could improve their caregiving skills, self-care, and access to services. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that Chinese American dementia caregivers, especially those with limited English proficiency, experience elevated psychosocial distress, which was aggravated by the barriers to social support and health services due to their immigrant and minority status. Culturally appropriate targeted intervention is urgently needed for this underserved and vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Alicia Hong
- Department of Health Administration and Policy, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Health Administration and Policy, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Hae-Ra Han
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Van Ta Park
- Department of Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Huixing Kate Lu
- Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, Inc, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Carol Cleaveland
- Department of Social Work, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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Sabatini S, Martyr A, Hunt A, Gamble LD, Matthews FE, Thom JM, Jones RW, Allan L, Knapp M, Quinn C, Victor C, Pentecost C, Rusted JM, Morris RG, Clare L. Health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia and their relationships with stress, caregiving experiences, and social networks: longitudinal findings from the IDEAL programme. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:171. [PMID: 38373905 PMCID: PMC10875834 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04707-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Longitudinal evidence documenting health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia and whether these influence caregivers' outcomes is scarce. This study explores type and number of health conditions over two years in caregivers of people with dementia and subgroups based on age, sex, education, hours of care, informant-rated functional ability, neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognition of the person with dementia, and length of diagnosis in the person with dementia. It also explores whether over time the number of health conditions is associated with caregivers' stress, positive experiences of caregiving, and social networks METHODS: Longitudinal data from the IDEAL (Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life) cohort were used. Participants comprised spousal caregivers (n = 977) of people with dementia. Self-reported health conditions using the Charlson Comorbidity Index, stress, positive experiences of caregiving, and social network were assessed over two years. Mixed effect models were used RESULTS: On average participants had 1.5 health conditions at baseline; increasing to 2.1 conditions over two years. More health conditions were reported by caregivers who were older, had no formal education, provided 10 + hours of care per day, and/or cared for a person with more neuropsychiatric symptoms at baseline. More baseline health conditions were associated with greater stress at baseline but not with stress over time. Over two years, when caregivers' health conditions increased, their stress increased whereas their social network diminished DISCUSSION: Findings highlight that most caregivers have their own health problems which require management to avoid increased stress and shrinking of social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Anthony Martyr
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
- Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
| | - Anna Hunt
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Laura D Gamble
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Fiona E Matthews
- Institute for Clinical and Applied Health Research, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Jeanette M Thom
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Roy W Jones
- Research Institute for the Care of Older People (RICE), Bath, UK
| | - Louise Allan
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula, Exeter, UK
| | - Martin Knapp
- London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Catherine Quinn
- Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, Bradford University, Bradford, UK
- Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford, UK
| | - Christina Victor
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - Claire Pentecost
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Robin G Morris
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Linda Clare
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula, Exeter, UK
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McEligot AJ, Pang K, Moran-Gomez S, Mitra S, Santos M, Tahmasebi Z, Kazimi S. Comorbid Conditions Are Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2024:914150241231186. [PMID: 38327065 PMCID: PMC11303594 DOI: 10.1177/00914150241231186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
We examined the association between comorbid conditions and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) (n = 54). Cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaires were utilized to collect demographic, comorbid conditions, and MCI (via the AD8 index) data. Separate logistic regression models were conducted to investigate the relationship between comorbid conditions and MCI, adjusting for other covariates. We found significantly increased odds of MCI in those reporting high blood pressure (OR = 5.27; 95% CI: [1.36, 20.46]; p = 0.016), high cholesterol (OR = 7.30; 95% CI: [1.90, 28.14], p = 0.004), and prediabetes or borderline diabetes (OR = 4.53; 95% CI: [1.27, 16.16], p = 0.02) compared with those not reporting these respective conditions. These data show that hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and prediabetes are associated with MCI in the NHPI community, suggesting that preventive strategies to reduce chronic conditions may also potentially slow cognitive decline in underrepresented/understudied NHPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana J. McEligot
- Department of Public Health. California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Room KHS-121, Fullerton, CA 92834
| | - Ka’ala Pang
- Pacific Islander Health Partnership, Santa Ana, CA
| | - Sabrina Moran-Gomez
- Department of Public Health. California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Room KHS-121, Fullerton, CA 92834
| | - Sinjini Mitra
- Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences, California State University, Fullerton
| | - Mariella Santos
- Department of Public Health. California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Room KHS-121, Fullerton, CA 92834
| | - Zahra Tahmasebi
- Psychology Department, California State University, Fullerton
| | - Sanam Kazimi
- Department of Public Health. California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Room KHS-121, Fullerton, CA 92834
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Bhattacharyya KK, Gupta DD, Schwartz S, Molinari V, Fauth EB. Protective roles of meditation practice and self-esteem on cognitive functions over time: findings from the Midlife in the United States study. Psychogeriatrics 2024; 24:94-107. [PMID: 37994673 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive function is an important component of healthy ageing. However, it is unclear whether relaxation/meditation practices provide cognitive benefits, particularly in midlife and early late life. Meditative practices are associated with higher self-esteem, and self-esteem serves as a general protective factor for many health outcomes. The current study examines associations between meditation practice, self-esteem, and change over 10 years in midlife cognitive performance. METHODS Data were from waves 2 (2003-2004) and 3 (2013-2014) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. We used structural equation modelling to examine whether persistent meditation practice at both waves or episodic practice at one wave is associated with better cognitive function over 10 years, compared to no meditation practice, while controlling for prior cognitive function and covariates (baseline socio-demographics, health, and functional status). Additionally, we assessed if self-esteem mediates the above associations. RESULTS We included 2168 individuals (Mage = 65 ± 11). After controlling for covariates, the findings revealed that persistent meditation practice in both waves was associated with significantly less decline in episodic memory; however, no such effects were found for executive function. Further, although participants' higher self-esteem was significantly associated with less decline in executive function and episodic memory, it did not mediate the associations between meditation practice and cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS While both persistent meditation practice and self-esteem have associations with cognitive outcomes for middle-aged and older adults in MIDUS, self-esteem as a mediator was not supported. Thus, future investigations should examine mechanisms that underlie these protective factors on cognitive performances across adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Debasree Das Gupta
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Sarah Schwartz
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Victor Molinari
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Fauth
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
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Christian LM, Wilson SJ, Madison AA, Prakash RS, Burd CE, Rosko AE, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Understanding the health effects of caregiving stress: New directions in molecular aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 92:102096. [PMID: 37898293 PMCID: PMC10824392 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Dementia caregiving has been linked to multiple health risks, including infectious illness, depression, anxiety, immune dysregulation, weakened vaccine responses, slow wound healing, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, frailty, cognitive decline, and reduced structural and functional integrity of the brain. The sustained overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines is a key pathway behind many of these risks. However, contrasting findings suggest that some forms of caregiving may have beneficial effects, such as maintaining caregivers' health and providing a sense of meaning and purpose which, in turn, may contribute to lower rates of functional decline and mortality. The current review synthesizes these disparate literatures, identifies methodological sources of discrepancy, and integrates caregiver research with work on aging biomarkers to propose a research agenda that traces the mechanistic pathways of caregivers' health trajectories with a focus on the unique stressors facing spousal caregivers as compared to other informal caregivers. Combined with a focus on psychosocial moderators and mechanisms, studies using state-of-the-art molecular aging biomarkers such as telomere length, p16INK4a, and epigenetic age could help to reconcile mixed literature on caregiving's sequelae by determining whether and under what conditions caregiving-related experiences contribute to faster aging, in part through inflammatory biology. The biomarkers predict morbidity and mortality, and each contributes non-redundant information about age-related molecular changes -together painting a more complete picture of biological aging. Indeed, assessing changes in these biopsychosocial mechanisms over time would help to clarify the dynamic relationships between caregiving experiences, psychological states, immune function, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Christian
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Stephanie J Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, University Park, TX, USA
| | - Annelise A Madison
- The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ruchika S Prakash
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christin E Burd
- Departments of Molecular Genetics, Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ashley E Rosko
- Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Janice K Kiecolt-Glaser
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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Singh Solorzano C, Cattane N, Mega A, Orini S, Zanetti O, Chattat R, Marizzoni M, Pievani M, Cattaneo A, Festari C. Psychobiological effects of an eHealth psychoeducational intervention to informal caregivers of persons with dementia: a pilot study during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Aging Clin Exp Res 2023; 35:3085-3096. [PMID: 37943404 PMCID: PMC10721699 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-023-02610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The workload associated with caring for a person with dementia (PwD) could negatively affect informal caregivers' physical and mental health. According to the recent literature, there is a need for studies testing the implementation of affordable and accessible interventions for improving caregivers' well-being. AIMS This study aimed to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8 week eHealth psychoeducation intervention held during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy in reducing the psychological burden and neuroendocrine markers of stress in caregivers of PwD. METHODS Forty-one informal caregivers of PwD completed the eHealth psychoeducation intervention. Self-reported (i.e., caregiver burden, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and caregiver self-efficacy) and cortisol measurements were collected before and after the intervention. RESULTS Following the intervention, the caregivers' self-efficacy regarding the ability to respond to disruptive behaviours improved (t = - 2.817, p = 0.007), anxiety and burden levels decreased (state anxiety: t = 3.170, p = 0.003; trait anxiety: t = 2.327, p = 0.025; caregiver burden: t = 2.290, p = 0.027), while depressive symptoms and cortisol levels did not change significantly. Correlation analyses showed that the increase in self-efficacy was positively associated with the improvement of caregiver burden from pre- to post-intervention (r = 0.386, p = 0.014). The intervention had a low rate of dropout (n = 1, due to the patient's death) and high levels of appreciation. DISCUSSION The positive evidence and participation rate support the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed eHealth psychoeducational intervention to meet the need for knowledge of disease management and possibly reduce detrimental effects on caregivers' psychological well-being. CONCLUSION Further placebo-controlled trials are needed to test the generalizability and specificity of our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Singh Solorzano
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Nadia Cattane
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Anna Mega
- UOC Neurologia, ULSS 9 Scaligera-Distretto 4, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefania Orini
- Alzheimer Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Orazio Zanetti
- Alzheimer Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Rabih Chattat
- Department of Psychology, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Moira Marizzoni
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Michela Pievani
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Festari
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy
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Su Q. Impact of Caregiving on Cognitive Functioning: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1796-1804. [PMID: 37329275 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Few studies have examined the association between caregiving and the cognitive functioning of caregivers. This study explored the association between caring for family members and cognition and how the link differs by caregiving intensity and caregiving types. Furthermore, rural-urban and gender heterogeneity were investigated. METHODS This study analyzed Waves 2011, 2013, and 2018 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, with cognitive functioning assessed in 3 dimensions: memory, executive function, and orientation function. The cognition trajectories between caregivers and noncaregivers were compared with the growth curve model. RESULTS Results demonstrated a positive association between caregiving and cognitive functioning (β = 0.249, p < .001). Considering caregiving intensity, the positive association was only found in low (β = 0.335, p < .001) and moderate-intensity caregivers (β = 0.250, p < .05) but not in high-intensity caregivers. Moreover, grandparents, adult children, and multiple caregivers had a higher average cognition level at age 60 than noncaregivers (all β > 0, all p < .05), and adult child caregivers exhibited a significantly slower rate of decline in cognition across age (β = 0.040, p < .01). However, spousal caregivers showed no significant disparities with noncaregivers. Moreover, the impact of caregiving on memory function is more apparent among urban adults. DISCUSSION Results indicate that caregiving can benefit cognitive function. This study proposes considering caregiving intensity and caregiving types when exploring caregiving and cognition. Based on these findings, policy-makers may overcome the challenges involved in establishing and developing a supportive informal care system in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Su
- School of Public Health, Southeast University, Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, China
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Kew CL, Washington TR, Bergeron CD, Merianos AL, Sherman LD, Goidel K, Smith ML. Caregiver strain among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic male caregivers with self-reported chronic health conditions. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2023; 28:1161-1177. [PMID: 37312247 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2023.2222341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Caregiver strain often stems from unmet needs and is a risk factor for poor physical and psychological health. This study aims to identify factors associated with caregiver strain among middle-aged and older non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic male caregivers living with one or more chronic conditions. DESIGN Data were analyzed from 418 male caregivers collected through Qualtrics Online Panels using an internet-delivered survey instrument (55.7% non-Hispanic Black, 44.3% Hispanic). Three ordinal regression models were fitted to assess factors associated with Caregiver Strain Scale tertiles: one for all men, one for non-Hispanic Black men only; and one for Hispanic men only. RESULTS Similarities and differences were observed between the two groups in terms of factors associated with higher caregiver strain (i.e. lower disease self-management efficacy scores, providing ≥20 h of care per week). Uniquely for Non-Hispanic Black male caregivers, higher caregiver strain was associated with living with more children under the age of 18 (β = 0.35, P = 0.011) and feeling more socially disconnected (β = 0.41, P = 0.008). Uniquely for Hispanic male caregivers, higher caregiver strain levels were associated with experiencing lower pain levels (β = -0.14, P = 0.040) and higher fatigue levels (β = 0.23, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Findings from this study suggest that non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions have differing caregiving experiences. While bolstering social connectedness and caregiver support services may offset caregiver strain, tailored mental health and disease management programming are needed to meet the specific needs of non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic male caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Lin Kew
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Center for Community Health and Aging, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Ashley L Merianos
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ledric D Sherman
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Center for Health Equity and Evaluation Research, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Kirby Goidel
- Public Policy Research Institute & Department of Political Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Matthew Lee Smith
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Center for Community Health and Aging, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Center for Health Equity and Evaluation Research, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Bhattacharyya KK, Liu Y, Das Gupta D, Molinari V, Fauth EB. The Healthy Caregiver? A Positive Impact of Informal Caregiving Status on Cognitive Functions Over Time From the Midlife in the United States Study. J Aging Health 2023:8982643231209482. [PMID: 37864504 DOI: 10.1177/08982643231209482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The current study examined whether informal caregivers performed worse, better, or similar to non-caregivers on cognitive tests of executive functioning and episodic memory over 10 years. Methods: Data were from waves 2 (2003-04) and 3 (2013-14) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (N = 2086). Multiple linear regression models examined whether caregiving at both waves 2 and 3 predicted better cognitive functioning at wave 3, than caregiving at only one time point or no caregiving (reference) while controlling for baseline covariates (i.e., sociodemographic, health, and functional status). RESULTS After controlling for covariates, caregiving at both waves was independently associated with better performance in episodic memory (b = .24, SE = .10, p = .013) but not executive function (b = -.06, SE = .05, p = .246). Discussion:The findings partially supported both healthy caregiver and stress process models, indicating caregiving may be associated with better episodic memory but not executive functioning over time among the middle-aged and older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yin Liu
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Debasree Das Gupta
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Victor Molinari
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Fauth
- Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
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Liu YC, Chou MC, Chiang MC, Hang CL, Chen SM, Chung ML, Lin CY, Huang TY. A Biomarker of Stress and Self-reported Caregiving Distress Predict Poor Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Patients With Heart Failure. J Cardiovasc Nurs 2023:00005082-990000000-00140. [PMID: 37830903 DOI: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000001050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family caregivers are at a high risk for low quality of life due to caregiving-related stress. Caregivers' stress is commonly assessed using self-reported measures, which reflect relatively subjective and long-term stress related to caregiving, but objective biological markers of stress are rarely used for caregivers. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine whether caregiver characteristics were associated with stress assessed using a stress biomarker (serum cortisol) and a self-reported caregiving distress measure (Caregiver Burden Inventory) and (2) to determine the predictability of both stress measures for quality of life in caregivers of patients with heart failure. METHODS Taiwanese family caregivers (N = 113; mean age, 54.5 years; 70.8% female) of patients with heart failure completed surveys including caregiving distress and quality of life measured by the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the Short Form-36 (physical and psychological well-being subscales), respectively, and provided blood samples for serum cortisol. Independent t tests, correlation, and hierarchical regression were conducted. RESULTS Single caregivers had higher serum cortisol levels than married caregivers (P = .002). Men had significantly higher serum cortisol levels than women (P = .010), but men reported lower caregiving distress than women (P = .049). Both serum cortisol (β = -0.32, P = .012) and caregiving distress (β = -0.29, P = .018) were significant predictors of quality of life in the physical well-being scale while controlling for caregivers' characteristics and depressive symptoms. Serum cortisol (β = -0.28, P = .026) and caregiving distress (β = -0.25, P = .027) also predicted quality of life in the psychological well-being scale. CONCLUSIONS Serum cortisol and self-reported caregiving distress have similar predictability for quality of life in family caregivers of patients with heart failure. Reducing stress and caregiving distress is critical to improving quality of life in this population.
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Zhou Y, Hasdemir D. Validation and expansion of a behavioral framework for dementia care partner resilience (CP-R). DEMENTIA 2023; 22:1392-1419. [PMID: 37294955 PMCID: PMC10521159 DOI: 10.1177/14713012231181160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Resilience - the ability to bounce back after a stressor - is a core component of successful family caregiving for people living with dementia. In this manuscript, we describe the preliminary empirical validation of a new behavioral framework developed from existing literature for assessing care partner resilience, CP-R, and propose its potential value for future research and clinical care. METHODS We selected 27 dementia care partners who reported significant challenges prompted by a recent health crisis of their care recipient from three local university-affiliated hospitals in the United States. We conducted semi-structured interviews to elicit care partners' accounts of what they did to address those challenges that helped them recover during and after the crisis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using abductive thematic analysis. FINDINGS When persons with dementia experienced health crises, care partners described various challenges in managing new and often complex health and care needs, navigating informal and formal care systems, balancing care responsibilities with other needs, and managing difficult emotions. We identified five resilience-related behavioral domains, including problem-response (problem-solving, -distancing, -accepting, and -observing), help-related (help-seeking, -receiving, and -disengaging), self-growth (self-care activities, spiritual-related activities, and developing and maintaining meaningful relationships), compassion-related (self-sacrifice and relational compassion behaviors), and learning-related (learning from others and reflecting). DISCUSSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Findings support and expand the multidimensional CP-R behavior framework for understanding dementia care partner resilience. CP-R could guide the systematic measurement of dementia care partners' resilience-related behaviors, support individual tailoring of behavioral care plans, and inform the development of resilience-enhancing interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjin Zhou
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin,TX, USA
| | - Dilara Hasdemir
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin,TX, USA
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Rababa M, Aldrawsheh A, Hayajneh AA, Eyadat AM, Tawalbeh R. The Predictors of Negative and Positive Affect among People with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Study. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1724. [PMID: 37893441 PMCID: PMC10607976 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59101724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined the predictors of negative and positive affect among individuals with dementia. Materials and Methods: A sample of 102 Jordanian participants diagnosed with dementia was recruited from residential care facilities, and data were collected using different measures. Results: The results revealed that higher levels of negative affect were significantly associated with increased physical and verbal agitation among individuals with dementia. Conversely, lower levels of positive affect were associated with residing in a nursing home. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of recognizing the impact of both negative and positive affect on the well-being of individuals with dementia. Interventions targeting the reduction of negative affect and promoting positive affect could alleviate agitation and enhance emotional closeness in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rababa
- Adult Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan; (A.A.H.)
| | - Ayham Aldrawsheh
- Community and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan (A.M.E.)
| | - Audai A. Hayajneh
- Adult Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan; (A.A.H.)
| | - Anwar M. Eyadat
- Community and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan (A.M.E.)
| | - Raghad Tawalbeh
- Adult Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan; (A.A.H.)
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Chan CMH, Siau CS, Wong JE, Yahya N, Azmi NA, Chu SY, Ahmad M, Chong ASS, Wee LH, Tan JP. Characterizing Employees with Primary and Secondary Caregiving Responsibilities: Informal Care Provision in Malaysia. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2033. [PMID: 37510474 PMCID: PMC10379380 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11142033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a need to determine the extent to which Malaysian employees reconcile both paid employment and informal care provision. We examined data from the Malaysia's Healthiest Workplace via AIA Vitality Online Survey 2019 (N = 17,286). A multivariate multinomial regression was conducted to examine characteristics for the following groups: primary caregiver of a child or disabled child, primary caregiver of a disabled adult or elderly individual, primary caregiver for both children and elderly, as well as secondary caregivers. Respondent mean age ± SD was 34.76 ± 9.31, with 49.6% (n = 8573), identifying as either a primary or secondary caregiver to at least one child under 18 years, an elderly individual, or both. Males (n = 6957; 40.2%) had higher odds of being primary caregivers to children (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.85-2.30), elderly (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.09-1.41) and both children and elderly (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.57-2.22). However, males were less likely to be secondary caregivers than females (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.53-0.71). Our results highlight the differences in characteristics of employees engaged in informal care provision, and to a lesser degree, the extent to which mid-life individual employees are sandwiched into caring for children and/or the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caryn Mei Hsien Chan
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Ching Sin Siau
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Jyh Eiin Wong
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Noorazrul Yahya
- Center for Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Investigative Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Nor Aniza Azmi
- Center for Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Investigative Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Shin Ying Chu
- Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Mahadir Ahmad
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Agnes Shu Sze Chong
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Lei Hum Wee
- Centre for Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Lakeside Campus, No. 1, Jalan Taylor's, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Medical Advancement for Better Quality of Life Impact Lab, Taylor's University, 1 Jalan Taylors,Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Jo Pei Tan
- Department of Social Care and Social Work, Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
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Abaasa C, Obua C, Wakida EK, Rukundo GZ. A qualitative investigation of the psychosocial services utilised by care-givers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in southwestern Uganda. AGEING & SOCIETY 2023; 43:1603-1616. [PMID: 37680685 PMCID: PMC10482049 DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x21001276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias often require substantial support from other people. Much of the care-giving is from family members who eventually experience physical, emotional and financial stress, depression and fatigue. In Uganda, families are a cornerstone in providing care to individuals with dementia. However, little is known about the psychosocial supports available to the care-givers in their care-giving role. We assessed the psychosocial supports available to care-givers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in southwestern Uganda. We conducted 34 in-depth interviews at three referral hospitals at which care-givers identified by the treating clinicians were approached for informed consent. The interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was reached, and the interviews were translated and transcribed. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. Care-giver supports were structured into two major themes: medical supports utilized and supports beyond the medical care system. Medical supports highlighted information provided by medical professionals. Supports beyond the medical care system included emotional and instrumental supports provided by religious leaders, the local communities and family members. Care-givers for individuals with dementia in southwestern Uganda receive educational support from medical practitioners, and unstructured emotional and instrumental supports from the family and community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Abaasa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Celestino Obua
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Edith K. Wakida
- Office of Research Administration, Mbarara University of Science and Technology Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Godfrey Zari Rukundo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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Mountcastle L, Zajdel M, Robinson T, Keller KR, Gelles S, Livinski AA, Kikani B, Lea DE, Koehly LM. The impact of caregiving for children with chronic conditions on the HPA axis: A scoping review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 69:101062. [PMID: 36773674 PMCID: PMC10182255 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Caregiving has been robustly linked to caregiver health through the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the context of caregiving for an adult with a chronic illness. However, little research examines the physiological impact of caregiving for a child with a chronic illness despite high burden and unique stressors. In this review, we explore the links of caregiving for a child with a congenital, chromosomal, or genetic disorder to the regulation or dysregulation of the HPA axis. A search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science and 15 studies met inclusion criteria. Overall, there were inconsistent links of caregiving to HPA axis functioning, perhaps due to the heterogeneity across disease contexts, study designs, and biomarker measurement. Future research should standardize measurement and study designs, increase participant diversity, and examine moderators of the links of caregiving to the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Mountcastle
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Melissa Zajdel
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute.
| | - Taylor Robinson
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Krystyna R Keller
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Shani Gelles
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Alicia A Livinski
- National Institutes of Health Library, Office of Research Services, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bijal Kikani
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Dawn E Lea
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
| | - Laura M Koehly
- Social Network Methods Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute
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Abstract
This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease, including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care, and the overall impact on family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report examines the patient journey from awareness of cognitive changes to potential treatment with drugs that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's. An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060 barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or cure AD. Official death certificates recorded 121,499 deaths from AD in 2019, and Alzheimer's disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 145%. This trajectory of deaths from AD was likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2022. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $339.5 billion in 2022. Its costs, however, extend to family caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes - costs that have been aggravated by COVID-19. Members of the paid health care workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. In recent years, however, a shortage of such workers has developed in the United States. This shortage - brought about, in part, by COVID-19 - has occurred at a time when more members of the dementia care workforce are needed. Therefore, programs will be needed to attract workers and better train health care teams. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2023 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $345 billion. The Special Report examines whether there will be sufficient numbers of physician specialists to provide Alzheimer's care and treatment now that two drugs are available that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease.
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Bei E, Morrison V, Zarzycki M, Vilchinsky N. Barriers, facilitators, and motives to provide distance care, and the consequences for distance caregivers: A mixed-methods systematic review. Soc Sci Med 2023; 321:115782. [PMID: 36801750 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Distance caregivers (DCGs) are a growing population with substantial contributions to informal care. While much is known about the provision of local informal care, evidence from the distance caregiving population is lacking. OBJECTIVE This mixed-method systematic review examines barriers and facilitators of distance caregiving, determinants of motivations and willingness to provide distance care, and the impact on caregiver outcomes. METHODS A comprehensive search strategy was conducted in four electronic databases and grey literature to minimise potential publication bias. Thirty-four studies, including 15 quantitative, 15 qualitative, and 4 mixed-method studies were identified. Data synthesis involved a convergent integrated approach to integrate quantitative with qualitative findings, followed by thematic synthesis to identify key themes and subthemes. RESULTS Barriers and facilitators of providing distance care included contextual and socioeconomic aspects of geographic distance, communication and information resources, and local support networks that shaped the distance caregiver role and caregiver involvement. The main motives for caregiving given by DCGs were cultural values and beliefs, societal norms, and perceived expectations of caregiving encompassing the sociocultural context of the caregiving role. Interpersonal relationships and individual characteristics further shaped DCGs' motivations and willingness to care from a geographic distance. DCGs experienced both positive and negative outcomes as a result of their distance caretaking responsibilities including feelings of satisfaction, personal growth, and enhanced relationship with the care recipient but also high levels of caregiver burden, social isolation, emotional distress, and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The reviewed evidence contributes toward novel understandings about the unique nature of distance care and have important implications for research, policy, healthcare, and social practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bei
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Val Morrison
- School of Human and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK.
| | - Mikołaj Zarzycki
- Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, L16 9JD, England, United Kingdom.
| | - Noa Vilchinsky
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
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Sun H, Liu M, Liu J. Association of Influenza Vaccination and Dementia Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 92:667-678. [PMID: 36744343 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dementia is a critical global public health problem. Previous cohort studies have found that influenza vaccination can decrease the risk of dementia. OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis aimed to systematically examine the relationship between influenza vaccination and dementia risk. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, medRxiv, and bioRxiv for studies investigating dementia risk based on influenza vaccination status, up to September 14, 2022. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled in the meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted as well. RESULTS Of the 4,087 articles initially reviewed, 6 cohort studies were included in the final meta-analysis, and all eligible studies were at low risk of bias. There were 2,087,195 participants without dementia at baseline (mean age: 61.8-75.5 years, 57.05% males), and 149,804 (7.18%) cases of dementia occurred during 4.00-13.00 years of follow-up. Pooled analysis of adjusted RRs found that influenza vaccination could reduce dementia risk by 31% (RR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.57-0.83). Subgroup analyses showed that in the study with a mean age of 75-80 years or 75%-100% males, the association was generally weakened compared with studies with a mean age of 60-75 years or 25%-50% males. The results were stable in the sensitivity analyses, and no publication bias was observed. CONCLUSION Influenza vaccination in older adults was markedly associated with a decreased risk of dementia. More mechanistic studies and epidemiological studies are needed to clarify the association between influenza vaccination and decreased dementia risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Jue Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing, China.,Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing, China.,Global Center for Infectious Disease and Policy Research & Global Health and Infectious Diseases Group, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Elayoubi J, Haley WE, Roth DL, Cushman M, Sheehan OC, Howard VJ, Hladek MD, Hueluer G. Associations of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and caregiving with inflammation: a longitudinal study. Int Psychogeriatr 2023; 35:95-105. [PMID: 35543307 DOI: 10.1017/s1041610222000370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Higher inflammation has been linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes, and mortality, but few studies have rigorously examined whether changes in perceived stress and depressive symptoms are associated with increased inflammation within family caregivers and non-caregivers in a longitudinal design. DESIGN Longitudinal Study. SETTING REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke cohort study. PARTICIPANTS Participants included 239 individuals who were not caregivers at baseline but transitioned to providing substantial and sustained caregiving over time. They were initially matched to 241 non-caregiver comparisons on age, sex, race, education, marital status, self-rated health, and history of cardiovascular disease. Blood was drawn at baseline and approximately 9.3 years at follow-up for both groups. MEASUREMENTS Perceived Stress Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression, inflammatory biomarkers, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, D dimer, tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 1, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-10 taken at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS Although at follow-up, caregivers showed significantly greater worsening in perceived stress and depressive symptoms compared to non-caregivers, there were few significant associations between depressive symptoms or perceived stress on inflammation for either group. Inflammation, however, was associated with multiple demographic and health variables, including age, race, obesity, and use of medications for hypertension and diabetes for caregivers and non-caregivers. CONCLUSIONS These findings illustrate the complexity of studying the associations between stress, depressive symptoms, and inflammation in older adults, where these associations may depend on demographic, disease, and medication effects. Future studies should examine whether resilience factors may prevent increased inflammation in older caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Elayoubi
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - William E Haley
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David L Roth
- Center on Aging and Health, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary Cushman
- Department of Medicine & Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Orla C Sheehan
- Center on Aging and Health, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Virginia J Howard
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Gizem Hueluer
- School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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Associations Between Dysfunctional Thoughts, Leisure Activities, and IL-6 in Caregivers of Family Members With Dementia. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:175-181. [PMID: 36516289 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Dementia caregiving is associated with negative physical health consequences, including inflammation processes. The objective of this study was to analyze the associations between dysfunctional thoughts, frequency of leisure activities, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in a sample of dementia family caregivers. METHODS One hundred forty dementia caregivers participated in this cross-sectional study. The relationships among caregivers' dysfunctional thoughts, leisure activities, and IL-6 were adjusted for demographic characteristics, stressors, and physical and mental health indicators in a linear regression analysis. RESULTS Higher levels of dysfunctional thoughts ( t = -2.02, p = .045) were significantly associated with lower frequency of leisure activities. In turn, lower frequency of leisure activities was significantly associated with higher levels of IL-6 ( t = -2.03, p = .045). Dysfunctional thoughts were no longer significantly associated with IL-6 levels when both dysfunctional thoughts and leisure activities were included in the same model ( t = 1.78, p = .076). A significant indirect effect was found for the association between higher levels of dysfunctional thoughts and higher levels of IL-6 (standardized indirect effect = 0.036, bootstrap standard error = 0.026, 95% confidence interval = 0.0001-0.1000) through its association with fewer leisure activities. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the direct effect of caregivers' dysfunctional thoughts on IL-6 may be mediated by the impact on caregivers' frequency of leisure activities. Results suggest that training caregivers in reducing dysfunctional thoughts to thereby increase leisure activities may be useful in reducing inflammation.
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Roth DL, Bentley JP, Mukaz DK, Haley WE, Walston JD, Bandeen-Roche K. Transitions to Family Caregiving and Latent Variables of Systemic Inflammation Over Time. Res Aging 2023; 45:173-184. [PMID: 35422166 DOI: 10.1177/01640275221084729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers may be influenced by chronic psychological stressors such as those experienced by family caregivers. However, previous studies have found mostly small and inconsistent differences between caregivers and control samples on individual measures of systemic inflammation. Latent variables of inflammation were extracted from six biomarkers collected from two blood samples over 9 years apart for 502 participants in a national cohort study. One-half of these participants transitioned into a sustained family caregiving role between the blood samples. Two latent factors, termed "up-regulation" and "inhibitory feedback," were identified, and the transition to family caregiving was associated with a lower increase over time on the inhibitory feedback factor indexed by interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10. No caregiving effect was found on the up-regulation factor indexed primarily by IL-6 and C-reactive protein. These findings illustrate the advantages of using latent variable models to study inflammation in response to caregiving stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Roth
- Center on Aging and Health, 1466Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John P Bentley
- School of Pharmacy, 8083University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Debora Kamin Mukaz
- Larner College of Medicine, 12352University of Vermont, Colchester, VT, USA
| | - William E Haley
- School of Aging Studies, 7831University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jeremy D Walston
- Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, School of Medicine, 1500Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karen Bandeen-Roche
- Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 25802Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Martín-María N, Vara-García C, Romero-Moreno R, Jiménez-Gonzalo L, Barrera-Caballero S, Fernandes-Pires J, Olazarán J, Losada-Baltar A. Medical conditions and depressive symptoms: A study of kinship profiles in dementia caregivers. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2022; 37. [PMID: 36209384 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze the association between diverse medical conditions and depressive symptoms in different profiles of dementia caregivers based on sex and kinship (wives, husbands, daughters, and sons). METHODS Individual interviews were conducted with 338 dementia family caregivers. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Spanish version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Medical conditions encompassed the following physical diseases: high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular, brain, kidney, liver, and stomach diseases.Logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify determinants associated to thepresenceof depressive symptoms. RESULTS High cholesterol was the most frequent disease among caregivers.Significant differences among groups were found in depressive symptoms: between wives (50.60%) and husbands (28.40%),(p = 0.033), and between daughters (57.00%) and husbands (p = 0.001). Half of the sonsreported thepresenceof depressive symptoms. In daughters, depressive symptomatology was significantly more likely whether they presented a worse reaction to disruptive behaviors, a poor assessment of global deterioration of care recipient, and less perceived health status. Furthermore, daughters were 1.94 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms if they presented medical conditions (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS Daughter caregivers that have depressive and physical diseases may be an especially vulnerable subgroup of caregivers that may not be the ideal population to provide care. Access to high-quality, evidence-based therapies focused on improving caregivers' physical health could have a positiveeffecton thepresenceof depressive symptoms, particularly in the case of daughter caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Martín-María
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Vara-García
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Romero-Moreno
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Gonzalo
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jose Fernandes-Pires
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Olazarán
- Service of Neurology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Losada-Baltar
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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37
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Zarzycki M, Seddon D, Morrison V. Informal caregiver motivations, values, challenges and gains: A photovoice and interpretative phenomenological analysis of interrelationships. J Health Psychol 2022; 28:568-582. [PMID: 36300898 PMCID: PMC10119898 DOI: 10.1177/13591053221124647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The adoption of a caregiving role in the context of illness and disability is often taken for granted. This study explores caregivers’ motivations to provide care and how these relate to values, and to the challenges and gains of caregiving. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers and photographs were taken by caregivers to exemplify their caregiving experiences. This photo-elicitation method complemented the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis when applied to verbatim transcripts. Superordinate themes included: caregiver’s life story; significance of family; caregiving obligations; caring relationship; challenges and gains associated with caregiver motivations. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations were less distinct in caregivers’ lived experiences than previously suggested, and were influenced by family values and specific challenges and gains of caregiving. The coexistence of different motivations and the nature of single complex motivations is discussed. The importance of caregiver assessment and support planning, and regular breaks from caregiving are highlighted.
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Clark IN, Ip-Winfield V, Murphy M, Shanahan E, Grocke D. The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music for family caregivers of people with dementia: A within subject feasibility study. NORDIC JOURNAL OF MUSIC THERAPY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2022.2113913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Imogen N. Clark
- Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Melissa Murphy
- Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Denise Grocke
- Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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39
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Zwar L, König HH, Hajek A. Informal caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from a representative, population-based study during the second wave of the pandemic in Germany. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:2062-2070. [PMID: 34644202 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1989377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the informal caregiving situation in terms of prevalence of caregivers, infection rates, perception of impairment and danger by the pandemic, and changes in the caregiving performance among long-term caregivers from before to during the peak of the pandemic. METHODS Informal caregivers (N = 489 during the pandemic) from a population-based sample, representative for individuals aged ≥40 years from Germany (N = 3022, assessed March 2021), were questioned. Sociodemographic information, prevalence and performance of informal care before and during the second pandemic wave, infection rates and perceived impairment and danger of the pandemic were assessed. RESULTS Results indicate no significantly different prevalence of informal caregiving during the pandemic compared to before. Few caregivers and few of their care recipients were infected. Overall, a low to moderate level of impairment was reported by caregivers, but a moderately high perceived danger, particularly for care recipients. Among long-term caregivers, caregiving intensity and time increased during the pandemic, less ambulatory care but more shopping help was used and care task distribution and use of support changed. CONCLUSION While the prevalence of informal caregivers remained unchanged, the caregiving situation worsened among long-term caregivers. Infection rates among caregivers were low, but they perceived themselves and their care recipients to be endangered. Future research and policy should focus more on this vulnerable group during a health crisis, primarily on long-term caregivers, in order to effectively support them in their care provision for the high risk group of older care recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Zwar
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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40
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Deng C, Chen H, Meng Z, Meng S. Roles of traditional chinese medicine regulating neuroendocrinology on AD treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:955618. [PMID: 36213283 PMCID: PMC9533021 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.955618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing in recent years. Studies have shown that in addition to some genetic abnormalities, the majority of AD patients has a history of long-term exposure to risk factors. Neuroendocrine related risk factors have been proved to be strongly associated with AD. Long-term hormone disorder can have a direct detrimental effect on the brain by producing an AD-like pathology and result in cognitive decline by impairing neuronal metabolism, plasticity and survival. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) may regulate the complex process of endocrine disorders, and improve metabolic abnormalities, as well as the resulting neuroinflammation and oxidative damage through a variety of pathways. TCM has unique therapeutic advantages in treating early intervention of AD-related neuroendocrine disorders and preventing cognitive decline. This paper reviewed the relationship between neuroendocrine and AD as well as the related TCM treatment and its mechanism. The advantages of TCM intervention on endocrine disorders and some pending problems was also discussed, and new insights for TCM treatment of dementia in the future was provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujun Deng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Huize Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyu Meng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Shengxi Meng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
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41
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Saldarini F, Cropley M. Chronic Stress Is Associated with Reduced Mindful Acceptance Skills but Not with Mindful Attention Monitoring: A Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11304. [PMID: 36141575 PMCID: PMC9517081 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are effective in reducing chronic stress, but their therapeutic mechanisms are unclear. One possibility is that MBIs act by re-training attention monitoring and acceptance skills that have been impaired by chronic stress exposure. However, little research has investigated the association between chronic stress, monitoring, and acceptance. In this cross-sectional study we hypothesised observing correlations between stress, and (impaired) monitoring and acceptance. Moreover, we exploratively compared the magnitude of the correlations between chronic stress and four acceptance measures. Finally, we explored whether the association between stress and monitoring is moderated by acceptance. Eighty-five adults participated in the study and completed self-reported chronic stress and acceptance questionnaires and a mindful attention behavioural task. The results revealed that chronic stress was associated with reduced acceptance (all ps < 0.01) but not with monitoring. Exploratory analyses revealed no differences in the magnitude of the correlations between stress and each acceptance measure, except for the combined facets of mindfulness acceptance subscales and nonreactivity subscale (p = 0.023). Further analyses revealed a significant negative association between stress and the interaction between acceptance and the target detection component of monitoring (p = 0.044). Surprisingly, these results show that stress is associated with reduced monitoring at higher levels of acceptance. Theory-driven intervention studies are warranted to complement our results.
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Sabatini S, Martyr A, Gamble LD, Jones IR, Collins R, Matthews FE, Victor CR, Quinn C, Pentecost C, Thom JM, Clare L. Profiles of social, cultural, and economic capital as longitudinal predictors of stress, positive experiences of caring, and depression among spousal carers of people with dementia. Aging Ment Health 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35899421 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2098920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explored (1) social, cultural, and economic capital in spousal carers of people with dementia; (2) profiles of carers with different levels of capital; (3) whether the identified profiles differ in levels of stress and positive experiences of caring, and likelihood of depression over time. METHODS Baseline (2014-2016), 12-month, and 24-month follow-up data were analyzed for 984 coresident spousal carers of people with dementia. We assessed social, cultural, and economic capital, stress, positive experiences of caring, depression. RESULTS On average, carers reported infrequent social and cultural participation. Most carers were not socially isolated, trusted their neighbours, had education at least to age 16, and had an income aligned with the 2014 UK average. We identified four groups of carers with different levels of capital. Although on average stress was low, depression was infrequent, and positive experiences of caring were moderately frequent, the group of carers with lowest capital was the least stressed and reported the most positive experiences of caring over time. Compared to the two groups with better capital, those with poorer capital were more likely to be depressed over time. CONCLUSION Social, cultural, and economic resources may decrease likelihood of depression, but not stress, in carers of people with dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Martyr
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Laura D Gamble
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - Ian R Jones
- Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD), Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Collins
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona E Matthews
- Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD), Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Christina R Victor
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Quinn
- The Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom.,Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Bradford, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Pentecost
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Jeanette M Thom
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
| | - Linda Clare
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South, West Peninsula, United Kingdom
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Bei E, Mashevich K, Rotem-Mindali O, Galin-Soibelman S, Kalter-Leibovici O, Schifter T, Vilchinsky N. Extremely Distant and Incredibly Close: Physical Proximity, Emotional Attachment and Caregiver Burden. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148722. [PMID: 35886574 PMCID: PMC9323703 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Informal caregivers are at risk of caregiver burden, and physical proximity to the care recipient may add to this negative outcome. Yet, individual differences in emotional proximity to the care recipient such as attachment orientations may contribute to caregivers’ comfort towards different degrees of physical proximity, leading to varying levels of burden. The current study is the first to explore the role of physical proximity on caregiver burden as moderated by attachment orientations. A sample of 162 Israeli caregivers who are active users of the Camoni website completed our online survey. Sociodemographic characteristics, including a self-reported questionnaire on the physical proximity to the care recipient, were collected. Caregivers’ attachment orientations were assessed with the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures questionnaire. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Caregiver Burden Inventory. Multiple regression and simple slope analyses were conducted. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with burden, whereas physical proximity was not. Attachment avoidance, but not attachment anxiety, moderated the association between physical proximity and caregiver burden, with caregivers who live closer to their care recipient experiencing greater burden when high levels of avoidance were present. Our findings reveal the complex dynamics between attachment orientations and physical proximity in the context of informal care, highlighting the need for better integration of these two interlinked constructs in both care research and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bei
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (K.M.); (S.G.-S.); (N.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-69-8204-1162
| | - Karin Mashevich
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (K.M.); (S.G.-S.); (N.V.)
| | - Orit Rotem-Mindali
- Department of Geography and Environment, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel;
| | - Shira Galin-Soibelman
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (K.M.); (S.G.-S.); (N.V.)
| | - Ofra Kalter-Leibovici
- The Gertner Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (O.K.-L.); (T.S.)
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv P.O. Box 39040, Israel
| | - Tami Schifter
- The Gertner Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (O.K.-L.); (T.S.)
| | - Noa Vilchinsky
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (K.M.); (S.G.-S.); (N.V.)
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Anderson S, Parmar J, L’Heureux T, Dobbs B, Charles L, Tian PGJ. Family Caregiving during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: A Mediation Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:8636. [PMID: 35886490 PMCID: PMC9317413 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Family caregiving is a public health issue because of caregivers' significant contribution to the health and social care systems, as well as the substantial impact that giving and receiving care has on the health and quality of life of care receivers and caregivers. While there have been many studies that associate caregivers' care work, financial difficulty, navigation, and other caregiving factors with family caregivers' psychological distress, we were interested not only in the factors related to family caregiver anxiety but also in hypothesizing how those effects occur. In this study, we used Andrew Hayes' PROCESS moderation analysis to explore the link between caregiver frailty, weekly care hours, and perceptions of financial difficulty, social support, and anxiety. In this analysis, we included 474 caregivers with relatively complete data on all of the variables. In regression analysis after controlling for gender and age, social loneliness (β = 0.245), frailty (β = 0.199), financial difficulty (β = 0.196), care time (β = 0.143), and navigation confidence (β = 0.131) were all significant. We then used PROCESS Model 6 to determine the significance of the direct, indirect, and total effects through the serial mediation model. The model pathway from frailty to care time to financial difficulty to social loneliness to anxiety was significant. The proportions of family caregivers who were moderately frail, anxious, and experiencing social loneliness after eighteen months of the COVID-19 pandemic found in this survey should be of concern to policymakers and healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Anderson
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
| | - Jasneet Parmar
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Medically At-Risk Driver Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada
| | - Tanya L’Heureux
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
| | - Bonnie Dobbs
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Lesley Charles
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Medically At-Risk Driver Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Peter George J. Tian
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
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45
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Wu KC, Su Y, Chu F, Chen AT, Zaslavsky O. Behavioral Change Factors and Retention in Web-Based Interventions for Informal Caregivers of People Living With Dementia: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e38595. [PMID: 35797100 PMCID: PMC9305400 DOI: 10.2196/38595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Web-based interventions aimed at supporting informal caregivers of people living with dementia have the potential to improve caregivers' well-being and psychological health. However, few interventions are widely implemented for this population, and none of the prior reviews have systematically examined the use of behavior change techniques (BCTs), theories, and agents in web-based interventions for informal caregivers of people living with dementia. To better understand this implementation gap, we reviewed the literature to map behavioral factors (BCTs, theories, and agents) deployed in the studies. Furthermore, because there is an emerging consensus that retention could be shaped by participant characteristics and behavioral factors, we explored relationships between these features and retention rates across studies. OBJECTIVE We pursued 3 objectives: to map behavioral factors involved in the web-based interventions for informal caregivers of people living with dementia; to examine the relationship between behavioral change elements and retention in the studies; and to examine the relationship between participant characteristics (gender, age, and spouse or adult children caregiver proportion) and study retention. METHODS We conducted a literature review using the following keywords and their corresponding Medical Subject Headings terms: dementia, caregivers, and web-based intervention. The time limits were January 1998 to March 2022. Using the BCTv1 taxonomy, which specifies active behavioral components in interventions, 2 coders collected, summarized, and analyzed the frequency distributions of BCTs. Similarly, they abstracted and analyzed participant characteristics, behavior change theories, behavior change agents, and retention rates in the studies. RESULTS The average age was 61.5 (SD 7.4) years, and the average proportion of spousal informal caregivers, adult children informal caregivers, and retention rates were 51.2% (SD 24.8%), 44.8% (SD 22%), and 70.4% (SD 17%), respectively. Only 53% (17/32) of the studies used behavior change theories, but 81% (26/32) included behavior change agents. The most common BCTv1 clusters were shaping knowledge and social support. The median number of BCTv1 clusters was 5 (IQR 3). We observed a negative correlation between the proportion of spousal informal caregivers and the retention rate (r=-0.45; P=.02) and between the number of BCTv1 clusters and retention rates (r=-0.47; P=.01). We also found that the proportion of adult children informal caregivers in the study was significantly and positively correlated with the retention rate (r=0.5; P=.03). No other participant characteristics or behavioral factors were associated with retention rates. CONCLUSIONS We found that almost half of the studies were not informed by behavior change theories. In addition, spousal involvement and a higher number of BCTs were each associated with lower retention rates, while the involvement of adult children caregivers in the study was associated with higher retention. In planning future studies, researchers should consider matching participant characteristics with their intended intervention as the alignment might improve their retention rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Ching Wu
- School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Yan Su
- School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Frances Chu
- School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Annie T Chen
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Oleg Zaslavsky
- Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, WA, United States
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Wuttke-Linnemann A, Henrici C, Skoluda N, Nater UM, Endres K, Fellgiebel A. Psychobiological Monitoring of a Home-Based Dyadic Intervention for People Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers: Added Value to Evaluate Treatment Success and Understand Underlying Mechanisms. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 87:1725-1739. [PMID: 35527544 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research concerning people living with dementia (PwD) and their informal caregivers (ICs) has recently begun to focus on dyadic aspects of psychosocial interventions. OBJECTIVE We adapted a dyadic psychosocial intervention and examined its effects on psychobiological stress in daily life. METHODS Twenty-four PwD-caregiver dyads were visited seven times at home by specialized nursing staff. Momentary subjective stress, salivary cortisol (sCort), and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) were measured in PwD and ICs before and after each home visit as well as six times per day at two days each at the beginning and end of the intervention as part of an ambulatory assessment. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were measured twice. RESULTS After each home visit session, ICs reported lower subjective stress. sCort was lower in both ICs and PwD, whereas sAA did not change. In daily life, area under the curve (AUCg) concerning sCort secretion indicated that PwD had lower sCort daily output at the end of the intervention, and AUCg concerning subjective stress indicated that both PwD and ICs reported lower subjective stress than at the beginning of the intervention. AUCg concerning sAA did not change over time in either group. HCC did not vary over time but increased with disease severity. CONCLUSION The psychosocial intervention reduced psychobiological stress but affected psychobiological stress measures differently in PwD and ICs. In particular, the discrepancy between subjective and physiological markers of stress in PwD emphasizes the added value to evaluate treatment success and understand underlying mechanisms as a complement to self-reports.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clara Henrici
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,University Research Platform 'The Stress of Life - Processes and Mechanisms Underlying Everyday Life Stress', University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Urs M Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,University Research Platform 'The Stress of Life - Processes and Mechanisms Underlying Everyday Life Stress', University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristina Endres
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Fellgiebel
- Center for Mental Health in Old Age, Landeskrankenhaus (AöR), Mainz, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Agaplesion Elisabethenstift, Darmstadt, Germany
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Gérain P, Zech E. A Harmful Care: The Association of Informal Caregiver Burnout With Depression, Subjective Health, and Violence. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:NP9738-NP9762. [PMID: 33399030 DOI: 10.1177/0886260520983259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Providing informal care to a relative can lead to informal caregiver burnout, which is expected to lead to deleterious consequences. Among these consequences lie the risk of perpetrating violent behaviors against the care-recipient, the caregivers' risk of depression, and their low subjective health. To investigate these associations, a sample of 499 informal caregivers completed a questionnaire addressing informal caregiver burnout, depression, subjective health, and violence. Hierarchical regression models were used to investigate the potential association of burnout with these potential consequences, while controlling for sociodemographic variables and received violence. The results show that burnout, and especially emotional exhaustion, is significantly associated with depression, low subjective health, and perpetrated physical violence, but not with perpetrated psychological violence. For both psychological and physical violence, it appears that receiving violence is one of the best predictors of perpetrating violence. With these results, this cross-sectional study confirms the association of informal caregiver burnout with deleterious consequences-even if this observation must be pondered-and the central role of received violence in predicting perpetrated violence, suggesting the risk of violence escalation. The implications of these results suggest that the emotional state of informal caregivers is one of the indicators of potential deleterious consequences and should, as such, be considered as a warning signal by field workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Gérain
- Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Brussels, Belgium
- UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Emmanuelle Zech
- Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Brussels, Belgium
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Sadavoy J, Sajedinejad S, Duxbury L, Chiu M. The impact on employees of providing informal caregiving for someone with dementia. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:1035-1043. [PMID: 33459037 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1871878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine if employees who are concurrently providing informal caregiving for a person with dementia (DCG) experience greater challenges than employees providing informal caregiving to older adults without dementia (ND CG). METHOD From a sample of employee respondents to a national Canadian survey three groups were studied: ND CG, and two subgroups of DCGs defined by the level of demand posed by the care recipient (CR) - low dementia demand (LDD) and moderate/high dementia demand (HDD). The dependent variables were CGs' job profile, health/well-being, nature of caregiving and work-caregiving balance and CRs' health demands. We used general linear models for analysis. RESULTS 1839 employee respondents were informal caregivers for an older adult, of whom 666 were DCGs. HDD CGs (n = 363) had significantly greater role demands and challenges on measures of perceived stress, depressed mood, burden, self-efficacy, mastery, control, absenteeism, job-caregiving conflict and role overload than LDD (n = 303) and ND CGs (n = 1173). LDD and ND CGs did not differ on these measures. CONCLUSION Employees concurrently caring informally for persons with dementia who pose moderate to high care demands experience significantly more difficulties than employees providing LDD or ND informal care for an older adult. These results may guide employers and clinicians in identifying and responding to CG employees who need enhanced support both in the workplace and the community to maintain their work productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Sadavoy
- Reitman Centre and Enhancing Care Program, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Cyril & Dorothy, Joel & Jill Reitman Centre for Alzheimer's Support and Training, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sima Sajedinejad
- The Cyril & Dorothy, Joel & Jill Reitman Centre for Alzheimer's Support and Training, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Linda Duxbury
- Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mary Chiu
- Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON, Canada
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Hwang B, Granger DA, Brecht ML, Doering LV. Cognitive behavioral therapy versus general health education for family caregivers of individuals with heart failure: a pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:281. [PMID: 35382758 PMCID: PMC8981676 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-02996-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While support from family caregivers is essential in the care of patients with heart failure (HF), caregiving places a considerable burden on family caregivers. We examined the preliminary effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for caregivers of individuals with HF. Methods In this pilot randomized controlled trial, patients with HF and their primary family caregivers (30 dyads) were randomized into CBT (n = 15) or general health education (GHE, n = 15) groups. Caregivers received 8 weekly individual sessions of either CBT (intervention) or GHE (attention control condition). Caregivers completed questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and 6 months. Saliva samples collected from caregivers at baseline and post-intervention were analyzed for salivary cortisol. The cortisol awakening response (CAR) and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated using log-transformed cortisol values. We analyzed data from 26 (14 receiving CBT and 12 receiving GHE) caregivers who received at least one session of CBT or GHE (modified intention-to treat) using linear mixed models. Each model included time, study group, and time-by-study group interaction as fixed effects. Results Patients were older (66.94 ± 14.01 years) than caregivers (55.09 ± 15.24 years), and 54% of patients and 54% of caregivers were female. Most caregivers (58%) were spouses. A total of 14 (93%) CBT and 12 (80%) GHE participants received at least 1 session (p = .60), and 11 (73%) CBT and 11 (73%) GHE participants completed all 8 sessions (p = 1.00). There were no significant between-group differences in change for salivary cortisol or psychological outcomes. However, the CBT group had significant within-group improvements in perceived stress (p = .011), stress symptoms (p = .017), depression (p = .002), and anxiety (p = .006) from baseline to post-intervention, while the control group had no significant within-group change in the outcomes except for anxiety (p = .03). The significant improvements observed in the CBT group lasted for 6 months. No adverse effects were observed. Conclusions In this pilot trial, although between-group differences in change were not significant, CBT resulted in significant improvements in some psychological outcomes with no improvement in the control group. Our findings suggest the potential of the intervention to alleviate psychological distress in HF caregivers. Further examination in larger randomized trials is warranted. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01937936 (Registered on 10/09/2013).
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyoung Hwang
- College of Nursing & Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Mary-Lynn Brecht
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lynn V Doering
- School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including incidence and prevalence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care, and the overall impact on family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report discusses consumers' and primary care physicians' perspectives on awareness, diagnosis and treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), including MCI due to Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060 barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or cure AD. Official death certificates recorded 121,499 deaths from AD in 2019, the latest year for which data are available. Alzheimer's disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2019 and the seventh-leading cause of death in 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 145%. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 16 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2021. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $271.6 billion in 2021. Its costs, however, extend to family caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes - costs that have been aggravated by COVID-19. Members of the dementia care workforce have also been affected by COVID-19. As essential care workers, some have opted to change jobs to protect their own health and the health of their families. However, this occurs at a time when more members of the dementia care workforce are needed. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2022 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $321 billion. A recent survey commissioned by the Alzheimer's Association revealed several barriers to consumers' understanding of MCI. The survey showed low awareness of MCI among Americans, a reluctance among Americans to see their doctor after noticing MCI symptoms, and persistent challenges for primary care physicians in diagnosing MCI. Survey results indicate the need to improve MCI awareness and diagnosis, especially in underserved communities, and to encourage greater participation in MCI-related clinical trials.
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