A Comprehensive Assessment of Informal Caregivers of Patients in a Primary Healthcare Home-Care Program.

Virginia Rodrigo-Baños,Marta Del Moral-Pairada,Luis González-De Paz

doi:10.3390/ijerph182111588

Abstract

Studies of the characteristics of informal caregivers and associated factors have focused on care-receiver disease or caregiver social and psychological traits; however, an integral description may provide better understanding of informal caregivers’ problems. A multicenter cross-sectional study in primary healthcare centers was performed in Barcelona (Spain). Participants were a random sample of informal caregivers of patients in a home-care program. Primary outcomes were health-related quality of life and caregiver burden, and related factors were sociodemographic data, clinical and risk factors, social support and social characteristics, use of healthcare services, and care receivers’ status. In total, 104 informal caregivers were included (mean age 68.25 years); 81.73% were female, 54.81% were retired, 58.65% had high comorbidity, and 48.08% of care receivers had severe dependence. Adjusted multivariate regression models showed health-related quality of life and the caregivers’ burden were affected by comorbidity, age, time of care, and dependency of care receiver, while social support and depression also showed relative importance. Aging, chronic diseases, and comorbidity should be included when explaining informal caregivers’ health status and wellbeing. The effectiveness of interventions to support informal caregivers should comprehensively evaluate caregivers when designing programs, centering interventions on informal caregivers and not care receivers’ conditions.

Highlights

Studies of the characteristics of informal caregivers and associated factors have focused on care-receiver disease or caregiver social and psychological traits; an integral description may provide better understanding of informal caregivers’ problems
Sixty-one caregivers (58.65%) were married or had a partner, while 85.58% were caring for one adult, of whom 88.46% lived in the informal caregivers (ICs) household, and the family relationship was daughter or son in 58.65% of cases
The wellbeing of elderly caregivers of patients with high dependence is associated with aging and chronic diseases. Their perceived quality of life and the caregiver burden are explained by comorbidity and other factors such as depression and emotional support

Summary

Introduction

Studies of the characteristics of informal caregivers and associated factors have focused on care-receiver disease or caregiver social and psychological traits; an integral description may provide better understanding of informal caregivers’ problems. Primary outcomes were health-related quality of life and caregiver burden, and related factors were sociodemographic data, clinical and risk factors, social support and social characteristics, use of healthcare services, and care receivers’ status. Burden were affected by comorbidity, age, time of care, and dependency of care receiver, while social support and depression showed relative importance. The concerns of informal caregivers (ICs) have been reported from many points of view, from sociological issues [4], national regulation, and stakeholders’ views [5], to caring activities to avoid the negative effect of losing control due to informal care, and the so-called caregiver burden [6,7]. The factors associated with the caregiver’s burden have published maps and institutional affiliations

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