scholarly journals A Disproportionate Burden of Care: Gender Differences in Mental Health, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Social Support in Mexican Multiple Sclerosis Caregivers

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul B. Perrin ◽  
Ivan Panyavin ◽  
Alejandra Morlett Paredes ◽  
Adriana Aguayo ◽  
Miguel Angel Macias ◽  
...  

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) rates in Latin America are increasing, and caregivers there experience reduced mental and physical health. Based on rigid gender roles in Latin America, women more often assume caregiving duties, yet the differential impact on women of these duties is unknown.Methods. This study examined gender differences in mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Zarit Burden Inventory), health-related quality of life (HRQOL; Short Form-36), and social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12) in 81 (66.7% women) Mexican MS caregivers.Results. As compared to men caregivers, women had lower mental health (p=0.006), HRQOL (p<0.001), and social support (p<0.001). This was partially explained by women caregivers providing care for nearly twice as many hours/week as men (79.28 versus 48.48,p=0.018) and for nearly three times as many months (66.31 versus 24.30,p=0.002).Conclusions. Because gender roles in Latin America influence women to assume more substantial caregiving duties, MS caregiver interventions in Latin America—particularly for women caregivers—should address the influence of gender-role conformity on care and psychosocial functioning.

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian G. Leibach ◽  
Marilyn Stern ◽  
Adriana Aguayo Arelis ◽  
Miguel Angel Macias Islas ◽  
Brenda Viridiana Rábago Barajas

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) rates are increasing in Latin America, and caregiving for an individual with MS is associated with poorer mental and physical health outcomes. No existing research has examined the relation between mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in MS caregivers in Latin America. Methods: The present study examined the association between mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and HRQOL (36-item Short Form Health Status Survey) in 81 Mexican MS caregivers. Results: A canonical correlation analysis uncovered a large, significant overall association between mental health and HRQOL, with 52.7% of the variance shared between the two sets of constructs. When individual canonical loadings were examined in this analysis, the most substantial pattern that emerged was between depression and general health. Four regressions controlling for demographic variables found that HRQOL uniquely accounted for 19.0% of the variance in caregiver anxiety, 32.5% in depression, 13.5% in satisfaction with life, and 14.3% in self-esteem. Conclusions: These findings demonstrated a strong association between HRQOL and mental health, which points to directions for future studies on interventions for MS caregivers, particularly in Mexican and other Latino populations.


2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1038-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.V.L. Turpin ◽  
L.J. Carroll ◽  
J.D. Cassidy ◽  
W.J. Hader

Baseline data from a population-based study examining the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of MS patients about to begin disease modifying therapy was used to determine the factors associated with the HRQL of Saskatchewan adults with relapsing-remitting MS. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire regarding demographic and socioeconomic status, fatigue, comorbid medical conditions, disability level (EDSS), number of attacks in past 6 months, illness intrusiveness (Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and HRQL (SF-36 Health Status Survey). Multiple linear regression models were used to identify the factors associated with the physical and mental health summary scores of the SF-36. We found poorer physical HRQL in those who are female; older; not working; have musculoskeletal or respiratory problems; greater fatigue, higher disability scores, and more MS attacks. High illness intrusiveness; digestive system problems; genitourinary problems; and headaches were associated with poorer mental HRQL. Interestingly, we found an interaction between sex and age in mental HRQL, with worse mental health in older men but better mental health in older women. These findings may assist health care providers in identifying patients who may be at risk for decline in their HRQL, permitting appropriate and timely interventions. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 1038—1045. http://msj.sagepub.com


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1339-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilaria Casetta ◽  
Trond Riise ◽  
Monica Wamme Nortvedt ◽  
Nicola Tiberio Economou ◽  
Riccardo De Gennaro ◽  
...  

Women have about twice the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with men, a ratio that seems to be increasing. Most studies show that female patients seem to have a more favourable outcome of the disease. We studied the gender-specific impact of MS on health-related quality of life. We surveyed the population prevalence of MS patients in Ferrara, Italy. Data were extracted from the MS registry of the study area. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the MSQOL54 questionnaire. We analysed 370 patients (105 men and 265 women). They had worse scores than the general population in all health-related quality of life dimensions, ranging from 2.5 standard deviations (SD) lower for physical functioning to less than 0.5 standard deviations for mental health. Health-related quality of life scores were inversely correlated with disability scores. The impact of disability on health-related quality of life was higher for men than women regarding physical functioning (p < 0.01), vitality (p < 0.001), social functioning (p < 0.001), emotional wellbeing (p < 0.05) and mental health (p < 0.01). For scales reflecting mental health, a marked reduction with increasing disability was seen for men, while a linear reduction in the range of Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0—5 was reported for women, followed by no clear decrease for higher scores. We conclude that MS affects health-related quality of life in all of its dimensions. The impact of disability seems to be stronger among men, in particular for scales related to mental well-being. This could indicate that interventions should to be gender specific in order to better meet patients’ needs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hans Belau ◽  
Heiko Becher ◽  
Alexander Kraemer

Abstract Background Since 2015, more than one million people fled to Germany – mainly from war-affected countries. Nevertheless, little is known about social determinants in refugees located in Germany. This study aims to test the mediation effect of loneliness between social relationships, comprising social integration and social support, and health-related quality of life among refugees living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Methods The investigation utilizes data from the FlueGe Health Study (N=326), a cross-sectional study conducted by Bielefeld University. The data was collected between February and November 2018 and included interviews and examinations. Participants were recruited from shared and private accommodation in several cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. We first analyzed correlations between social integration, social support, loneliness, and physical and mental component of health-related quality of life. We then conducted mediation analyses using structural equation modeling. Results The majority of respondents were socially isolated, perceiving a moderate degree of loneliness and social support. In addition, the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life indicate that participants predominantly experienced mental rather than physical impairments. Results from mediation analyses showed indirect effects of loneliness on the association between social integration and mental health (ß = 0.495, 95% bias-corrected and accelerated confidence interval (BCa CI) = [0.018, 0.972]), and between social support and both physical (ß = 0.022, 95% BCa CI = [0.004, 0.040]) and mental health (ß = 0.067, 95% BCa CI = [0.037, 0.097]). Conclusions Loneliness played a mediating role in the association between social relationships and health-related quality of life among refugees living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The results provide implications for both, health policy and the host society.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Bourion-Bedes ◽  
Hélène Rousseau ◽  
Martine Batt ◽  
Pascale Tarquinio ◽  
Romain Lebreuilly ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose: Billions of children worldwide were sent under lockdown due to the coronavirus disease. This study aimed to investigate child-reported and parent-rated health-related quality of life among 8- to 18-year-olds and the agreement between the children’s assessments and those of their parents during lockdown.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among French children living in the Grand Est area. An online survey was used to collect data on the children’s sociodemographics, living environments, education and HRQoL. The latter was assessed with KIDSCREEN-27, which consists of five domains. Sex and age differences in parent ratings and child-reported data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Child-parent agreement was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).Results: In total, 471 child-parent pairs from 341 households were included. Compared to European norms, children scored lower on all dimensions during the first lockdown: physical well-being (45.9/49.94 EU), psychological well-being (48.8/49.77 EU), parent relations and autonomy (47.7/49.99 EU), social support and peers (36.4/49.94) and school (48.2/50). Significant child-reported sex and age differences were identified for both psychological and physical well-being dimensions. Moderate to good agreement existed between children’s and parents’ ratings on all KIDSCREEN dimensions (ICC ranged from 0.60 to 0.76).Conclusion: The study suggests the need to focus on children’s social support and peers during epidemics and to consider the children’s self-reported HRQoL. Additional research should be conducted to identify ways of minimizing the gap between mental health needs and the services available and to help more children maintain their physical and mental health during the current crisis.


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