Association of impairments of older persons with caregiver burden among family caregivers: Findings from rural South India

作者：Ajay Shweta^*; Kasthuri Arvind; Kiran Pretesh; Malhotra Rahul

来源：Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2017, 68: 143-148.

DOI：10.1016/j.archger.2016.10.003

• Aged
• Caregiver
• India
• Psychological stress
• Rural population

Aim: In India, owing to cultural norms and a lack of formal long-term care facilities, responsibility for care of the older person falls primarily on the family. Based on the stress process model, we assessed the association of type and number of impairments of older persons (similar to primary stressors) with caregiver burden among their family caregivers in rural South India.
Methods: All impaired older persons (aged >= 60, with impairment in activities of daily living (ADL) or cognition or vision or hearing) residing in 8 villages in Bangalore district, Karnataka, India, and their primary informal caregivers were interviewed. Caregiver burden was measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI; higher score indicating greater perceived burden). Linear regression models, adjusting for background characteristics of older persons and caregivers, assessed the association of type of impairment (physical [Yes/No], cognitive [Yes/No], vision [Yes/No] and hearing [Yes/No]) and number (1 or 2 or 3 or 4) of older person impairments with caregiver burden.
Results: A total of 140 caregivers, caring for 149 older persons, were interviewed. The mean (standard deviation) ZBI score was 21.2 (12.9). Of the various older person impairments, ZBI score was associated only with physical impairment (beta = 6.6; 95% CI: 2.1-11.1). Relative to caregivers of older person with one impairment, those caring for an older person with all 4 impairments had significantly higher ZBI score (beta = 13.9; CI: 2.5-25.4).
Conclusion: Caregivers of older persons with multiple impairments, especially physical impairment, are vulnerable.

• 出版日期2017-2