OBJECTIVE: To determine whether caregiver burden is associated with subsequent all-cause mortality or hospitalization among dependent community-dwelling older care recipients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1,067 pairs of community-dwelling 65-year-old or older care recipients and their informal caregivers was conducted. The 1,067 pairs completed the baseline assessment including caregiver burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Interview and a 3-year follow-up for all-cause mortality and hospitalization. RESULTS: During the 3-year follow-up, 268 recipients died and 455 were admitted to hospitals. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the recipients with caregivers with a baseline ZBI score in the highest quartile were 1.54 and 1.51 times more likely to show increased risks of all-cause mortality and hospitalization, respectively, in comparison with those with caregivers in the lowest quartile after adjustment for potential confounders. The highest quartile of caregiver burden was associated with all-cause mortality and hospitalization within nonusers of respite services including day-care services, home-help services, and nursing-home respite stay services. No apparent association was observed within the users of these services except for day-care services, for which users showed a statistically significant association between the highest quartile and the risk of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy caregiver burden is associated with mortality and hospitalization among community-dwelling dependent older adults, even after adjusting for potential confounders. The reduction of caregiver burden and improvement of caregiver well-being may not only prevent the deterioration of caregiver health but also reduce adverse health outcomes for care recipients.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether caregiver burden is associated with subsequent all-cause mortality or hospitalization among dependent community-dwelling older care recipients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1,067 pairs of community-dwelling 65-year-old or older care recipients and their informal caregivers was conducted. The 1,067 pairs completed the baseline assessment including caregiver burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Interview and a 3-year follow-up for all-cause mortality and hospitalization. RESULTS: During the 3-year follow-up, 268 recipients died and 455 were admitted to hospitals. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the recipients with caregivers with a baseline ZBI score in the highest quartile were 1.54 and 1.51 times more likely to show increased risks of all-cause mortality and hospitalization, respectively, in comparison with those with caregivers in the lowest quartile after adjustment for potential confounders. The highest quartile of caregiver burden was associated with all-cause mortality and hospitalization within nonusers of respite services including day-care services, home-help services, and nursing-home respite stay services. No apparent association was observed within the users of these services except for day-care services, for which users showed a statistically significant association between the highest quartile and the risk of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy caregiver burden is associated with mortality and hospitalization among community-dwelling dependent older adults, even after adjusting for potential confounders. The reduction of caregiver burden and improvement of caregiver well-being may not only prevent the deterioration of caregiver health but also reduce adverse health outcomes for care recipients.
Authors: Jane L Givens; Holly G Prigerson; Dan K Kiely; Michele L Shaffer; Susan L Mitchell Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2011-06 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Jeremy A Tanner; Betty S Black; Deirdre Johnston; Edward Hess; Jeannie-Marie Leoutsakos; Laura N Gitlin; Peter V Rabins; Constantine G Lyketsos; Quincy M Samus Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2014-08-13 Impact factor: 4.105