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

Abstract Objectives This study identified the classes (i.e., patterns) of caregivers’ activities, based on their engagements in caregiving activities, and explored the characteristics and the caregiver burden of these classes. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey on the profiles of family caregivers of older adults in Hong Kong. A latent class analysis approach was adopted to classify family caregivers (N = 932) according to their routine involvements in 17 daily caregiving activities: 6 activities of daily living (ADLs) and 8 instrumental activities of daily living activities (IADLs) in addition to emotional support, decision making, and financial support. Multinomial logistic regression and multiple linear regression illuminated the characteristics of the classes and compared their levels of caregiver burden. Results The family caregivers fell into 5 classes: All-Round Care (High Demand, 19.5%), All-Round Care (Moderate Demand, 8.2%), Predominant IADLs Care (High Demand, 23.8%), Predominant IADLs Care (Moderate Demand, 32.5%), and Minimal ADLs and IADLs Care (Low Demand, 16.0%). These classes exhibited different characteristics in terms of care recipients’ cognitive statuses and caregiver backgrounds. The levels of caregiver burden differed across classes; the All-Round Care (High Demand) class experienced the highest levels of caregiver burden. Discussion This study contributes to existing scholarship by turning away from a predefined category of care tasks to explore the patterns of caregiving activities. By identifying caregiving activity patterns and understanding their associated characteristics and caregiver burden, prioritizing and targeting caregiver support interventions better is possible.

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What is the State of the Science on Physical Activity Interventions for Family Caregivers? A Systematic Review and RE-AIM Evaluation

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2016-0280 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. 578-595 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Colleen A. Cuthbert ◽

Kathryn King-Shier ◽

Dean Ruether ◽

Dianne M. Tapp ◽

S. Nicole Culos-Reed

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Psychological Health ◽

External Validity ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

The State ◽

Caregiver Health ◽

State Of The Science ◽

Internal And External Validity

Background:Family caregivers are an important health care resource and represent a significant proportion of Canadian and US populations. Family caregivers suffer physical and psychological health problems because of being in the caregiver role. Interventions to support caregiver health, including physical activity (PA), are slow to be investigated and translated into practice.Purpose:To examine the evidence for PA interventions in caregivers and determine factors hampering the uptake of this evidence into practice.Methods:A systematic review and evaluation of internal and external validity using the RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy/Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework was conducted. Randomized controlled trials or pretest/posttest studies of PA interventions were included.Results:Fourteen studies were published between 1997 and 2015. Methodological quality of studies and risk of bias was variable. External validity criteria were often not reported. Mean reporting levels were 1) reach, 53%; 2) efficacy/effectiveness, 73%; 3) adoption, 18%; 4) implementation, 48%; and 5) maintenance, 2%.Conclusions:The lack of reporting of components of internal and external validity hinders the integration of caregiver PA interventions into clinical or community settings. Researchers should focus on standardized outcomes, accepted reporting criteria, and balancing factors of internal and external validity, to advance the state of the science.

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