Analyzing the situation of older family caregivers with a focus on health-related quality of life and pain : A cross-sectional cohort study
(2020) In Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 18(1).- Abstract
Background: For a significant proportion of the older population, increasing age is associated with health problems and worsening health. Older family caregivers are largely responsible for care of next-of-kin living at home, which impacts their own physical and mental health both positively and negatively. However, evidence is insufficient regarding the health situation of older caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and pain, and their associations, among caregivers aged ≥60 years. Methods: The participants (n = 3444) were recruited from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care-Blekinge and Good Aging in Skåne during 2001-2004. Participants aged ≥60 years were selected randomly... (More)
Background: For a significant proportion of the older population, increasing age is associated with health problems and worsening health. Older family caregivers are largely responsible for care of next-of-kin living at home, which impacts their own physical and mental health both positively and negatively. However, evidence is insufficient regarding the health situation of older caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and pain, and their associations, among caregivers aged ≥60 years. Methods: The participants (n = 3444) were recruited from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care-Blekinge and Good Aging in Skåne during 2001-2004. Participants aged ≥60 years were selected randomly and underwent cognitive tests, with demographic information obtained through questionnaires. The response rate was 60%. A predefined research protocol was used. HRQoL was measured with the Short-Form Health Survey, dimension mental health. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between HRQoL and pain as well as control factors. Results: Family caregiving was reported by 395 (11.5%) of the participants, and 56.7% of the caregivers reported pain. Family caregivers reported lower pain intensity on the Visual Analogue Scale and were younger, on median, than non-caregivers. Irrespective of caregiver status, pain was associated with mental HRQoL. Concerns about personal health and financial status had the strongest associations with mental HRQOL in both groups, but the levels were higher among caregivers. Conclusion: Pain was one factor associated with low HRQoL regardless of family caregiver status and remained important when controlling for factors related to advanced age. This finding remained among family caregivers, though they reported lower pain intensity. Factors other than pain were shown to be important to mental HRQoL and should also be taken into consideration when discussing actions for family caregivers to maintain and improve health and HRQoL. Trial registration number: Not applicable.
(Less)
- author
- Fagerström, Cecilia LU ; Elmståhl, Sölve LU and Wranker, Lena Sandin LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020-03-20
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Being worried, Family caregivers, Health-related quality of life, Older people, Pain
- in
- Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
- volume
- 18
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 79
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85082092313
- pmid:32197633
- ISSN
- 1477-7525
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12955-020-01321-3
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0fde1c1c-3654-4b6f-819e-4000da3f5949
- date added to LUP
- 2020-04-03 10:59:06
- date last changed
- 2024-04-17 06:15:47
@article{0fde1c1c-3654-4b6f-819e-4000da3f5949,
abstract = {{<p>Background: For a significant proportion of the older population, increasing age is associated with health problems and worsening health. Older family caregivers are largely responsible for care of next-of-kin living at home, which impacts their own physical and mental health both positively and negatively. However, evidence is insufficient regarding the health situation of older caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and pain, and their associations, among caregivers aged ≥60 years. Methods: The participants (n = 3444) were recruited from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care-Blekinge and Good Aging in Skåne during 2001-2004. Participants aged ≥60 years were selected randomly and underwent cognitive tests, with demographic information obtained through questionnaires. The response rate was 60%. A predefined research protocol was used. HRQoL was measured with the Short-Form Health Survey, dimension mental health. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between HRQoL and pain as well as control factors. Results: Family caregiving was reported by 395 (11.5%) of the participants, and 56.7% of the caregivers reported pain. Family caregivers reported lower pain intensity on the Visual Analogue Scale and were younger, on median, than non-caregivers. Irrespective of caregiver status, pain was associated with mental HRQoL. Concerns about personal health and financial status had the strongest associations with mental HRQOL in both groups, but the levels were higher among caregivers. Conclusion: Pain was one factor associated with low HRQoL regardless of family caregiver status and remained important when controlling for factors related to advanced age. This finding remained among family caregivers, though they reported lower pain intensity. Factors other than pain were shown to be important to mental HRQoL and should also be taken into consideration when discussing actions for family caregivers to maintain and improve health and HRQoL. Trial registration number: Not applicable.</p>}},
author = {{Fagerström, Cecilia and Elmståhl, Sölve and Wranker, Lena Sandin}},
issn = {{1477-7525}},
keywords = {{Being worried; Family caregivers; Health-related quality of life; Older people; Pain}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{Health and Quality of Life Outcomes}},
title = {{Analyzing the situation of older family caregivers with a focus on health-related quality of life and pain : A cross-sectional cohort study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12955-020-01321-3}},
doi = {{10.1186/s12955-020-01321-3}},
volume = {{18}},
year = {{2020}},
}