Health Status Of Family Caregivers Research Articles

Health effects of long-term care insurance on spouses of disabled people: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundIt is still uncertain whether and how formal long-term care (LTC) systems affect the health status of family members. This paper examines the health effects of long-term care insurance (LTCI) on spouses of disabled people in China.MethodsThe data is from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS), a longitudinal survey of a nationally representative sample of Chinese residents aged 45 or older and their spouses, and China City Statistical Yearbook. Exploiting the regional variation in the implementation of LTCI in the first round of pilot cities in China, a difference-in-difference (DID) strategy is applied to identify the causal effects of LTCI on the health status of spouses of disabled people. We carefully identify the causal effects by controlling for city-level covariates, testing common trends between the treatment and control groups, combining propensity score matching (PSM) with DID, selecting the second round of pilot cities as the control group, controlling for city fixed effects (FE) instead of individual FE, and evaluating selection bias from omitted observable and unobservable factors.ResultsThe introduction of LTCI in China reduces the number of painful body parts and the self-reported health score significantly, indicating that spouses of disabled people get physical health benefits from LTCI coverage. However, the impact of LTCI on the depression index remains ambiguous and needs to be analyzed further. LTCI improves the physical health status of spouses of disabled individuals mainly through the time reallocation channel, while the impact of the consumption promotion channel has not been verified. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of LTCI on physical health are stronger for spouse caregivers and spouses with lower-level education and lower household income.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that LTCI not only improves the health status of family caregivers by reducing their caregiving burden but also has beneficial health effects on non-caregiver family members. Policy designs of LTCI should emphasize the orientation of home and community-based care services (HCBS), which can not only satisfy the care preferences of disabled individuals, reduce the care burden on family caregivers, promote the health of all family members, but also prevent a large number of disabled individuals from choosing high-cost institutional care and reduce the financial burden of the LTCI Fund.

Influence of psychological responses of caregiving on the perceived health of family caregivers to acute stroke survivors.

Family caregivers provide round-the-clock care to their family members who had a stroke. The detrimental effects of caregiving on caregiver’s health would lead to the abandonment of caregiver role and institutionalization of stroke survivors. This study aims to determine the factors associated with the perceived health status of family caregivers to stroke survivors. This study conducted a secondary analysis of the baseline data of 142 family caregivers of stroke survivors nested within a longitudinal randomized controlled trial. Potential factors were identified according to the Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center model and were analyzed with hierarchical multiple regression models. The results indicated that stroke caregivers exhibited comparable perceived physical health with general population but poorer perceived mental health. Severity of depressive symptoms (β = −0.37, P < .001) remained the strongest and most significant factor associated with perceived mental health, followed by confidence in problem-solving (β = −0.21, P < .05). Moreover, caregiving competence (β = 0.29, P < .001) was the sole significant psychological factor associated with perceived physical health. Caregiving competence, problem-solving abilities, and severity of depressive symptoms are significant modifiable correlates of the perceived health of caregivers. Intervention for improving these psychological responses of caregivers is suggested incorporated in stroke rehabilitation programs.

Length of caring duration increases burden and reduces health status of cancer patients’ family caregivers in Surabaya, Indonesia

Background and purpose: The duration of care taking of cancer patients can trigger stress which impacts on the emergence of a burden which further affects the physical health of the family caregivers. This study aims to determine the effect of caring duration on the burden and health status of cancer patient’s family caregivers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Samples were 56 cancer patient’s family caregivers who were selected by a purposive sampling technique based on specified inclusion criteria from two public health centers (PHCs) in Surabaya Indonesia. Participants completed the questionnaire which comprised of questions on caring duration, caregiver burden scale and physical health status. Statistical tests using simple linear regression and multiple linear regression were performed. Results: The average age of family caregivers was 49.91 (SD=12.24), mostly female (66.7%), while half of the patients (51.8%) were a stage III cancer patients and the most frequent type of therapy (35%) received was chemotherapy. The average of caring duration was 4.44 (SD=1.92) years, score of burden was 51.07 (SD=18.45) and score health status was 60.32 (SD=10.81). After adjusted for age, gender, cancer stage and type of therapy, caring duration was significantly associated with increased burden of family caregivers (b=9.186, 95%CI: 7.85-10.10, p&lt;0.001) and with reduced health status (b=5.282, 95%CI: 4.50-5.85, p&lt; 0.001) Conclusion: The longer caring duration of cancer patients causes a higher burden and also a lower health status of family caregivers. Health workers and community have an important role in reducing the burden and improving the health status of caregivers by providing supports and appropriate prevention measures.

Association between temporary discharge from the inpatient palliative care unit and achievement of good death in end-of-life cancer patients: A nationwide survey of bereaved family members.

To explore the unclear association between temporary discharge home from the palliative care unit and achievement of good death, in the background of increases in discharge from the palliative care unit. Association between experiences and circumstances of patient and family and duration of temporary discharge was also examined. This study was a secondary analysis of data from a nationwide post-bereavement survey. Among 571 patients, 16% experienced temporary discharge home from the palliative care unit. The total good death inventory score (p < .05) and sum of 10 core attributes (p < .05) were significantly higher in the temporarily discharged and stayed home ≥2 weeks group. Among all attributes, "Independent in daily activities" (p < .001) was significantly better in the temporarily discharged and stayed home ≥2 weeks group. Regarding the experience and circumstance of patient and family, improvement of patient's appetite (p < .05), and sleep (p < .05) and peacefulness (p < .05) of family caregivers, compared to the patient being hospitalized, were associated with longer stay at home after discharge. Patient's achievement of good death was better in the temporarily discharged and stayed home longer group, but this seemed to be affected by high levels of independence of the patient. Temporary discharge from the palliative care unit and staying home longer was associated with improvement of appetite of patients and better sleep and mental health status of family caregivers. Discharging home from palliative care unit is worth being considered even if it is temporary.

Length of caring duration increases burden and reduces health status of cancer patients’ family caregivers in Surabaya, Indonesia

Background and purpose: The duration of care taking of cancer patients can trigger stress which impacts on the emergence of a burden which further affects the physical health of the family caregivers. This study aims to determine the effect of caring duration on the burden and health status of cancer patient's family caregivers.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Samples were 56 cancer patient's family caregivers who were selected by a purposive sampling technique based on specified inclusion criteria from two public health centers (PHCs) in Surabaya Indonesia. Participants completed the questionnaire which comprised of questions on caring duration, caregiver burden scale and physical health status. Statistical tests using simple linear regression and multiple linear regression were performed.Results: The average age of family caregivers was 49.91 (SD=12.24), mostly female (66.7%), while half of the patients (51.8%) were a stage III cancer patients and the most frequent type of therapy (35%) received was chemotherapy. The average of caring duration was 4.44 (SD=1.92) years, score of burden was 51.07 (SD=18.45) and score health status was 60.32 (SD=10.81). After adjusted for age, gender, cancer stage and type of therapy, caring duration was significantly associated with increased burden of family caregivers (b=9.186, 95%CI: 7.85-10.10, p&lt;0.001) and with reduced health status (b=5.282, 95%CI: 4.50-5.85, p&lt; 0.001)Conclusion: The longer caring duration of cancer patients causes a higher burden and also a lower health status of family caregivers. Health workers and community have an important role in reducing the burden and improving the health status of caregivers by providing supports and appropriate prevention measures.Â

Impact of community comprehensive intervention on healthy behavior and self-rated health status among family caregivers of disabled elderly

Objective To investigate the effect of community comprehensive intervention on health behavior and self-rated health status among family caregivers of disabled elderly. Methods One hundred and twenty family caregivers of disabled elderly were selected from community health service centers of Beijing Dongcheng District, and were given 6 month-comprehensive community intervention (intervention group); 121 family caregivers of disabled elderly from another community were selected as the control group. The knowledge and skills of caregiving, health behaviors (daily exercise time, daily relaxation time) and self-rated health status were evaluated before and 6 months after intervention. Results The knowledge and skill scores in intervention group were improved by 50.781 points, the daily exercise time and daily relaxation time were prolonged by 0.491 h and 0.837 h, respectively after the intervention (all P 0.05). Conclusion Community comprehensive intervention improves the knowledge and skills of caregiving, and the health behaviors among family caregivers of disabled elderly, but the intervention measures does not impact the self-rated health status of family caregivers. Key words: Disability; Aged; Community health services; Family caregivers

Healthcare in One's Own Home or Outside: A Comparison of the Health Status of Family Caregivers

The GEDA-Survey 2012 is a representative, nationwide survey conducted by means of computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) between March 2012 and March 2013 by the Robert Koch Institute with 19 294 completed interviews. A total of 1 219 persons tending to the needs of a care-dependent person responded to questions about sex, age and health status. Using the statistics software "SPSS", the GEDA-data were evaluated descriptively and finally visualized with "Microsoft Office". The survey results reveal that 47,2% of family caregivers from this cohort are between 45 and 64 years old. This cohort had more female caregivers (62,8%) than males (37,2%). Comparing the frequency of information on health status in 3 age groups, our survey indicated that persons tending to an individual outside their own homes assessed their health status to be better than those caring for individuals in their own homes.

Predictors of depressive symptoms and physical health in caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia.

This cross-sectional study examined relationships among factors influencing caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and physical health in family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia. Two hundred family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia completed standardized questionnaires related to depressive symptoms, physical health, perceptions of burden, coping, and social support. The results revealed that 19.5% of family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia experienced significant depressive symptoms and 65.5% perceived themselves in poor physical health. Burden, self-controlling coping strategies, and physical health status were all independently predictive of depressive symptoms. Two emotion-focused coping strategies (self-controlling and escape-avoidance) were independently predictive of caregiver burden. Only burden predicted physical health status. The findings suggest that health professionals who provide community care for those with schizophrenia need to consider the "unit of care" as the family rather than the individual. The health status of family caregivers should be routinely assessed. Individualized interventions to reduce family burden could include community-based health professionals as well as trained community volunteers, opportunities for social interaction, and improving self-care for all family members.

Correlation of the health status and care burden of family caregivers for elderly

Objective To explore the health status of family caregivers for elderly and the correlation with the care burden.Methods One thousand five hundred and seventeen patients were surveyed by the Zarit’s caregiver burden scale , demographic data and health status , and the burden status of different family caregivers for the elderly was analyzed .Results The percent of the family caregivers for the elderly with the definite diagnosis of disease was 61.0% （926/1 517）, and the percent of caregivers with self-sensation uncomfortable was 77.5%,＆amp;nbsp;and the percent of caregivers with a low self-health evaluation was 10.8%.The percents of mild , moderate and severe care burden in 926 family caregivers for the elderly with the definite diagnosis of disease were respectively 35.3%,18.5%,4.4%, and were higher than 31.5%,10.7%,2.7% in the caregivers without the definite diagnosis of disease, and the difference was statistically significant （Z=-5.632,P〈0.01）.The percents of mild, moderate and severe care burden in the family caregivers for the elderly with self-sensation uncomfortable were respectively 35.7%,16.7%,4.4%, and were higher than 27.5%,11.1%,1.5% in the caregivers without the symptoms, and the difference was statistically significant （Z=-5.573,P〈0.01）.No difference was found in the mild , moderate and severe care burden in the family caregivers for the elderly with the difference level of health evaluation （P〉0.05）.Conclusions The family caregivers for the elderly in poor health status bear the heavy burden of care , and the caregivers should pay more attention to their health status , and provide the related knowledge and skills , and alleviate the nursing pressure . Key words: Elderly; Health status; Family caregiver; Burden

Burdens and Psychological Health of Family Caregivers of People with Schizophrenia in Two Chinese Metropolitan Cities: Hong Kong and Guangzhou

Family members charged with the care of those suffering from schizophrenia experience considerable stress due to their multiple responsibilities. Research regarding the burdens of caregiving is scant in Hong Kong and China. The present study quantified the association of the duties of caregivers with mental health symptoms in two Asian cities having distinct health care systems (i.e., Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China). Thirty nine caregivers in Hong Kong and 70 caregivers in Guangzhou were recruited from nongovernmental mental health organizations. They were assessed using the Chinese version of the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire. While the Guangzhou family caregivers had a significantly higher burden than the Hong Kong sample, there was no significant difference in the psychological health status of family caregivers in the two cities. Result of correlational analyses, however, revealed high associations between burden of care variables and the psychological health of the caregivers. Findings for the present study have implications regarding the physical and mental health needs of those caring for seriously disturbed relatives.

Relationships Among Family Support, Health Status, Burnout, and the Burden of the Family Caregiver Caring for Korean Older Adults

In Brief The purpose of this study was to examine family support, health status, burnout, and the burden of the family caregiver caring for older Korean adults and the correlations among them. The participants were composed of a total of 267 family caregivers caring for Koreans aged 65 years or older. The Family Support Scale was used to measure family support. The Cornell Medical Index–Simple Korean Form was used to measure the health status. The Burnout Scale was used to examine burnout. The Burden Scale was used to examine the level of burden. Data were analyzed using the statistical package, SPSS/WIN version 16.0. The health status of family caregivers caring for older Korean adults was low. The burnout and burden among them were moderate. Also, there were significant correlations among family support, health status, burnout, and the burden of the family caregiver caring for older Korean adults. This cross-sectional study provides preliminary evidence that nursing interventions aimed at improving the health status and decreasing the burden and subsequent burnout of family caregivers caring for older Korean adults are needed. The purpose of this study was to examine family support, health status, burnout, and the burden of the family caregiver caring for older Korean adults and the correlations among them. The participants were composed of a total of 267 family caregivers caring for Koreans 65 years or older. The Family Support Scale was used to measure family support. The Cornell Medical Index–Simple Korean Form was used to measure the health status. The Burnout Scale was used to examine burnout. The Burden Scale was used to examine the level of burden. Data were analyzed using the statistical package, SPSS/WIN version 16.0. The health status of family caregivers caring for older Korean adults was low. The burnout and burden among them were moderate. Also, there were significant correlations among family support, health status, burnout, and the burden of the family caregiver caring for older Korean adults. This cross-sectional study provides preliminary evidence that nursing interventions aimed at improving the health status and decreasing the burden and subsequent burnout of family caregivers caring for older Korean adults are needed.

Life Condition and Psychological Health Status of Family Caregivers of the Elderly in Geriatric Health Service Facilities at Admission and 2 Months After

Life Condition and Psychological Health Status of Family Caregivers of the Elderly in Geriatric Health Service Facilities at Admission and 2 Months After

The health status of family caregivers in Taiwan: an analysis of gender differences

Many studies have assessed the impact of caregivers' work activities on the caregiver. There is growing concern about the ever-increasing problems, both physical and physiological, faced by health care workers who provide care for the ill and incapacitated. The aim of the study was to examine what, if any, differences exist between male and female caregivers. This study primarily focused on caregivers who were taking care of a family member. Three hundred and eighty-eight caregivers (280 females and 108 males) were recruited from 16 randomly selected home-care agencies in Southern Taiwan. The participants completed the Chinese Health Questionnaire-12 and the Self-Rated Health Scale. They also completed questionnaires drawn up specifically for the purpose of this study. Compared to the male caregivers, the female caregivers more often reported they suffered from symptoms of lack of well being, a decrease in psychosocial health and overall self-rated health. The results reiterate the importance of considering gender differentiation in the caregiving role. Major differences were found in the extent to which negative health consequences were experienced by the male and female caregivers. The results suggest that caregivers, especially female caregivers, urgently require adequate professional health care assistance in order to reduce the negative physical and physiological effects of caregiving on the health caregiver.