Improvements in Heart Rate Variability among Dementia Family Caregivers Receiving a Home‐Visit Based Intervention: Preliminary Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundEmotional stress of family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD) is often a topic of concern, as many experience negative health outcomes resulting from their years‐long caregiving role. A home‐visit based educational intervention focused on improving caregiving skills and managing stress was delivered to ethnically diverse dementia family caregivers in California in their preferred language. Previously, survey data were used to evaluate caregivers’ stress and well‐being. However, there might be limitations in using survey instruments to measure stress among diverse caregivers with limited English proficiency. Data collected via wearable technology (e.g., smartrings) can objectively measure stress in the form of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). We examined the intervention’s effect on stress levels measured by HRV among diverse dementia family caregivers using wearable technology.MethodsThe study design was a randomized controlled trial. Family caregivers of community dwelling PWD identifying as either Korean, Vietnamese, Hispanic/Latino, or Non‐Hispanic White were recruited through community outreach. Participants were randomly assigned with a 2:1 ratio to either the intervention group (IG) receiving language‐specific home‐visit based education or the attention control group (AG) receiving only care resource information. All participants wore smartrings monitoring HRV for 3 months. We used linear mixed models to assess the differences in HRV between the two groups using random intercept and slope for intervention, controlling for the covariates (age, gender, relationship, cohabitation, ethnicity, education).ResultsHRV data was collected from 59 caregivers (69% IG and 31% AG). Demographics included: 20 Korean (33.9%), 17 Vietnamese (28.8%), 10 Hispanic (17%), 12 Non‐Hispanic White (20.3%); 32 spouses (54%), 27 off‐spring (46%); 45 females (76%), ages 34 to 87 years (mean = 65.3, SD = 13.6). The linear mixed models showed a significant improvement in stress (higher HRV indicating better stress management) among IG caregivers compared to the AG caregivers over time (Beta coefficient = .079, P‐value = .032).ConclusionsMeasuring stress using smartrings was feasible and effective to track stress levels among diverse caregivers. Preliminary analyses suggest the home‐visit based intervention may have a positive effect on stress in ethnically diverse family caregivers of PWD compared to those only provided with care resource information.