STRUCTURAL, LOGISTICAL, AND EMOTIONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, & PAIN IN DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract

AbstractMore than five million older adults in the United States are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, with nearly 16 million family or informal caregivers providing ongoing support. This study examines aspects of caregiving that may be risk factors for depression, anxiety, and pain. Linear regressions examined structural, logistical, and emotional variables as predictors of depression, anxiety, and pain in 720 caregivers from the National Study on Caregiving. Enjoyment of caregiving, relationship with care recipient, daily exhaustion, amount on one’s plate, work schedule, and emotional difficulty of caregiving were associated with greater depression. Daily exhaustion, amount on one’s plate, and lack of time for oneself were associated with greater anxiety. Pain was associated with work schedule, number of years caregiving, physical difficulty of care, caregiver support, and sleep quality. Findings may help identify caregivers at high risk for depression, anxiety, and pain, and potentially in need of intervention.