scholarly journals Exploration of COVID-19-Based Changes to Caregiver Burden and Caregiving Intensity among Informal Caregivers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 945-945
Author(s):  
Steven Cohen ◽  
Zachary Kunicki ◽  
Megan Drohan ◽  
Mary Greaney

Abstract Individuals providing unpaid care of assistance to family members and friends (e.g. informal caregivers), may have been uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research is needed to examine the pandemic’s effect on informal caregivers’ caregiving intensity and burden. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to explore self-reported changes in caregiver intensity (CI) and caregiver burden (CB) due to the pandemic to identify factors associated with changes in responsibilities and burdens. In June 2020, informal caregivers providing care to someone aged 50+ (n=835) reported their current and pre-pandemic caregiving intensity and burden. Data were collected via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Chi-square tests were used to examine bivariate associations between pandemic time (pre vs. post) differences in CI and CB. Multinomial regression was used to assess multivariate predictors of changes to CI and CB due to COVID-19. Results showed a significant U-shaped association between initial CB and CB change due to COVID-19. Higher levels of initial CB were associated with both a significant decrease in CB during COVID-19 (OR 1.33, 95%CI 1.06-1.67), and a significant increase in CB during COVID-19 (OR 1.22, 95%CI 1.05-1.43). There were no significant associations between initial CB and changes in CI due to COVID-19, although older caregivers were more likely to experience a decrease in CB due to caregiving (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.00-1.05). These mixed results suggest that caregivers with high initial CB experienced the most extreme changes to CB due to COVID-19. Future planned analyses will focus on understanding the potential drivers behind these unexpected results.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fereshteh Ghahramani ◽  
Jingguo Wang

BACKGROUND Caregiving responsibility can change caregivers’ lives; modify their emotions; and make them feel frustrated, fearful, and nervous, thereby imposing physical and mental stress. Caregiving-related mobile apps provide a platform for obtaining valuable and trusted information, connecting more easily with other caregivers, monitoring medications, and managing appointments, and assessing health requirements and conditions of care receivers. Such apps also incorporate valuable resources that address care for the caregivers. Despite the potential benefits of caregiving-related apps, only a limited number of caregivers have adopted and used them. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to explore the important factors that affect caregivers’ intentions to integrate related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. METHODS Using the protection motivation theory, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 249 participants. Purposive sampling was used to target participants who met 4 inclusion criteria: US residents, owning and using a smartphone, informal caregivers (individuals who give care to a friend or family member without payment) who provided at least 8 hours of care per week in the past year, and those currently not using any mobile app for caregiving purposes. We created a survey using Qualtrics and posted it on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website. Participants received monetary compensation after successful completion of the survey. RESULTS We found that capabilities and skills of caregivers to use mobile apps, the app’s effectiveness in responding to the needs of caregivers, the degree of control of caregivers over their responsibilities, and the decisions they make for their care receivers can predict their willingness to adopt caregiving-related apps. In addition, the severity of health status and vulnerability of care receivers to unexpected health changes indirectly shape their caregivers’ decisions to adopt and use mobile apps for caregiving purposes. CONCLUSIONS This study explores the important factors that affect informal caregivers’ intentions to adopt related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. The results contribute to both mobile health adoption and the caregiving literature, and they offer significant implications for developers, health care practitioners, and policy makers. CLINICALTRIAL


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zati Sabrina Ahmad Zubaidi ◽  
Farnaza Ariffin ◽  
Cindy Teoh Cy Oun ◽  
Diana Katiman

Abstract Background Informal caregivers (IC) are often overshadowed by the attention required by the terminally ill. This study aims to reveal the estimated proportion of caregiver burden, psychological manifestations and factors associated with caregiver burden among IC in the largest specialized Palliative Care Unit (PCU) in Malaysia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving IC attending a PCU. Caregiver burden and psychological manifestations were measured using previously translated and validated Zarit Burden Interview and DASS-21 questionnaires respectively. Two hundred forty-nine samples were selected for analysis. Result The mean ZBI score was 23.33 ± 13.7. About half of the population 118(47.4%) was found to experienced caregiver burden whereby majority have mild to moderate burden 90(36.1%). The most common psychological manifestation among IC is anxiety 74(29.7%) followed by depression 51(20.4%) and stress 46(18.5%). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated that women who are IC to patients with non-malignancy were less likely to experience caregiver burden. IC who were highly educated and spent more than 14 h per day caregiving were at least twice likely to experience caregiver burden. Finally, those with symptoms of depression and anxiety were three times more likely to suffer from caregiver burden. Conclusion Caregiver burden among IC to palliative patients is prevalent in this population. IC who are men, educated, caregiving for patients with malignancy, long hours of caregiving and have symptoms of depression and anxiety are at risk of developing caregiver burden. Targeted screening should be implemented and IC well-being should be given more emphasis in local policies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 030006052097492
Author(s):  
Yan Zuo ◽  
Bi-Ru Luo ◽  
Wen-Tao Peng ◽  
Xin-Ru Liu ◽  
Ya-Lin He ◽  
...  

Objective To determine the level and influencing factors of informal caregiver burden in gynaecological oncology inpatients receiving chemotherapy. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled gynaecological oncology patients and their informal caregivers between May 2018 and November 2018 and measured the caregivers’ burden using the Caregiver Burden Inventory. The influencing factors were evaluated with univariate regression analysis and multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis. Results A total of 138 patients and their informal caregivers completed the questionnaire. The mean ± SD total informal caregiver burden score was 53.18 ± 10.97. The highest mean ± SD score was recorded in the dimension of time-dependent burden (14.28 ± 2.74), followed by developmental burden (13.65 ± 2.15), physical burden (10.52 ± 2.07), social burden (7.61 ± 2.58) and emotional burden (7.12 ± 1.43). Multivariate analysis showed that the informal caregiver’s sex, relationship to the patient, daily duration of care, presence of chronic health problems and the duration of the patient’s disease were factors influencing the level of caregiver burden. Conclusions The informal caregivers of gynaecological cancer patients hospitalized for chemotherapy experience a moderate level of burden. Nursing measures should be considered to reduce informal caregiver burden and improve the quality of lives of both patients and their caregivers.


2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482092010
Author(s):  
Rabia Khalaila

Objectives: To examine the associations and the mechanisms between caregiver burden and compassion fatigue among family caregivers. Method: A cross-sectional study comprising 300 family caregivers of older relatives in Arab communities in Israel was conducted. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews in Arabic using structured questionnaires to identify factors associated with compassion fatigue (using a secondary traumatization stress scale). Bootstrapping with resampling strategies tested the multiple mediator model. Main findings: The results show a significant total effect of caregiver burden on compassion fatigue ( b = 3.79, t(300) = 3.47, p < .001; R2 =.50). This association was found to be partially mediated by family support ( B = .81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.23, 1.85) and disengagement coping ( B = .97, 95% CI = 0.19, 2.14), but was not mediated by engagement coping strategies. Conclusion: Compassion fatigue is prevalent among family caregivers and requires more attention from professionals and policymakers.


2022 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Ribeiro de Sousa ◽  
Janaína Fonseca Victor Coutinho ◽  
João Bastos Freire Neto ◽  
Rachel Gabriel Bastos Barbosa ◽  
Marília Braga Marques ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objectives: to assess factors associated with vulnerability and fragility in the elderly. Methods: crosssectional study with 384 elderly people in Fortaleza, Ceará. The Vulnerable Elders Survey and Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index - 20 were used. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used for associations. In the analysis of the combined influence of risk factors, the stepwise logistic regression and multinomial regression methods were adopted. Results: 251 (65.4%) non-vulnerable and 133 (34.6%) vulnerable elders. From the vulnerable elders analyzed, 42 (30.9%) are at high risk for frailty. Factors associated with vulnerability: age, gender, presence of comorbidities, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and use of polypharmacy. There is a 30% increase in the chance of vulnerability for each additional drug. Physical activity reduces the chance of vulnerability by 60%. Factors associated with frailty: educational level; self-perception of health; comorbidities; polypharmacy. Conclusions: it is important to pay attention to the presence of arterial hypertension, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, and encourage the practice of physical activity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Maria Vieira Pereira-Ávila ◽  
Simon Ching Lam ◽  
Maithê de Carvalho e Lemos Goulart ◽  
Fernanda Garcia Bezerra Góes ◽  
Natália Maria Vieira Pereira-Caldeira ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify factors associated with depressive symptoms among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: a cross-sectional study developed in all regions of Brazil, using an electronic form among older adults aged 60 or over. Data were collected from April 17 to May 15, 2020. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were used. For comparison of means, Student’s t-test and analysis of variance were applied, considering p≤0.05. For association of factors, chi-square was adopted with bivariate analyzes and logistic regression. Results: nine hundred (100.0%) older adults participated in the study. The general score for symptoms of depression was 3.8 (SD=4.4), 818 (91.9%) had no or mild depressive symptoms. Women (p <0.01) have more symptoms than men. The income variable is a predictor of depressive symptoms (OR=0.56; CI: 0.34-0.91; p=0.020). Conclusion: the main factors associated with symptoms of depression were sex, income, education and occupations that expose them to COVID-19 had the highest depression scores.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Yola Yolanda ◽  
Khatijah Binti Abdullah ◽  
Ira Erwina

Keluarga yang merawat anak autis tidak terlepas dari kondisi stres, depresi, cemas, dan tekanan lain yang dialami selama mengasuh anak. Kondisi tersebut juga mempengaruhi kemampuan keluarga dalam mengasuh anak autis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan beban keluarga yang merawat anak autis di kota Padang tahun 2016. Desain penelitian ini adalah deskriptif analitik dengan pendekatan cross sectional study. Populasi penelitian ini adalah 301 keluarga yang memiliki anak autis di seluruh SLB kota Padang dan sampel sebanyak 172 orang. Pengumpulan data pada tanggal 25 Mei– 8 Juni 2016. Tekhnik pengambilan sampel dengan Proporsional Stratified  Random sampling. Instrument penelitian dukungan sosial menggunakan MSPSS dan beban keluarga menggunakan instrument ZBI. Uji statistik Chi-square membuktikan adanya hubungan bermakna antara dukungan sosial dan pendidikan dengan beban keluarga yang merawat anak autis. Faktor yang paling berhubungan dengan beban keluarga adalah dukungan sosial dan pendidikan. Diharapkan sekolah khusus anak autis di kota Padang lebih memotivasi keluarga untuk hadir di kegiatan Parenting Sosial Support setiap bulannya, mencari informasi lewat media online yang terpercaya karena dengan adanya berbagi pengalaman dalam pengasuhan anak autis dapat mengurangi beban dalam merawat anak autis, dan perawat jiwa berperan dalam deteksi masalah psikososial dan kejiwaan dalam keluarga merawat anak autis di sekolah autis, memberikan Family Psiko Edukasi (FPE), dan Terapi Supportif Kelompok .


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhao Fu ◽  
Jiajia Li ◽  
Feng Fang ◽  
Dan Zhao ◽  
Wenting Hao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Informal caregivers are the main source of care for the critically ill, especially after discharge or during the terminal stages at home. However, the concern for informal caregivers is often overshadowed by critically ill patients. The purpose of this study is to determine the influencing factors of the subjective burden of informal caregivers and to seek solutions accordingly. Methods Between July and August 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Shandong, China, focusing on family caregivers and critically ill patients. Subjective caregiver burden was measured by the Chinese version of Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). The stress process model was used to identify conditions relevant to the caregiving burden and to assess their impact on family caregivers. Results 554 samples were selected for analysis. The average scores of Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) scores in this study was 30.37±19.04 (n=554). ZBI scores of older, less educated, and spouse caregivers were significantly lower (4.12; 95%CI, 0.42 to 7.81; P =0.029). Objective and subjective burdens increased proportionally. Secondary role stress factors included the higher out-of-pocket (OOP) costs of critical diseases and lower household income, both of which increased caregivers’ subjective burdens (1.28; 95%CI, -0.06 to 2.63; p=0.062). Formal medical aid systems played a positive role in reducing subjective caregiving burdens (-7.31; 95%CI, -13.23 to -1.40; p=0.016). Conclusions Health policies should address both the direct medical burdens and the intangible psychological burdens of critical diseases.


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