Meen Hye Lee1, Chang Park2, Alicia K Matthews3, Kelly Hsieh4. 1. College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: leemeenhye@gmail.com. 2. College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: parkcg@uic.edu. 3. College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen Ave Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: aliciak@uic.edu. 4. Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1640 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. Electronic address: hsieh@uic.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Providing care for children with disabilities can negatively influence the physical health and health behaviors of family caregivers. OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The study purposes were to compare the prevalence of chronic conditions and health risk behaviors of family caregivers of children with and without disabilities and to examine associations between disability status of children and family caregivers' chronic conditions and health risk behaviors. METHODS: This study compared chronic conditions and health risk behaviors across adult family caregivers of children with a disability (FCG-D) and family caregivers of children without a disability (FCG) living in a U.S. household using 2015 National Health Interview Survey data. Health risk behaviors were defined as heavy drinking, current smoking, physical inactivity, and unhealthy sleep. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to compare chronic conditions and health risk behaviors between FCG-D and FCG with adjustments for demographic and healthcare coverage covariates. RESULTS: FCG-D showed significantly greater likelihoods of chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, back pain, chronic bronchitis, heart conditions, migraine, and obesity) than FCG. FCG-D also exhibited significantly more smoking and unhealthy sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Family caregivers of children with a disability reported significantly greater likelihoods of various chronic conditions and were more likely to engage in health risk behaviors (smoking and unhealthy sleep). Further study is needed to develop intervention programs for encouraging effective health-promoting behaviors among family caregivers of children with a disability as well as health policies for decreasing health disparities experienced by this population.
BACKGROUND: Providing care for children with disabilities can negatively influence the physical health and health behaviors of family caregivers. OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The study purposes were to compare the prevalence of chronic conditions and health risk behaviors of family caregivers of children with and without disabilities and to examine associations between disability status of children and family caregivers' chronic conditions and health risk behaviors. METHODS: This study compared chronic conditions and health risk behaviors across adult family caregivers of children with a disability (FCG-D) and family caregivers of children without a disability (FCG) living in a U.S. household using 2015 National Health Interview Survey data. Health risk behaviors were defined as heavy drinking, current smoking, physical inactivity, and unhealthy sleep. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to compare chronic conditions and health risk behaviors between FCG-D and FCG with adjustments for demographic and healthcare coverage covariates. RESULTS:FCG-D showed significantly greater likelihoods of chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, back pain, chronic bronchitis, heart conditions, migraine, and obesity) than FCG. FCG-D also exhibited significantly more smoking and unhealthy sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Family caregivers of children with a disability reported significantly greater likelihoods of various chronic conditions and were more likely to engage in health risk behaviors (smoking and unhealthy sleep). Further study is needed to develop intervention programs for encouraging effective health-promoting behaviors among family caregivers of children with a disability as well as health policies for decreasing health disparities experienced by this population.
Authors: Sarah C Masefield; Stephanie L Prady; Trevor A Sheldon; Neil Small; Stuart Jarvis; Kate E Pickett Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2020-05
Authors: Hans Kristian Maridal; Hanne Marit Bjørgaas; Kristen Hagen; Egil Jonsbu; Pashupati Mahat; Shankar Malakar; Signe Dørheim Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-02 Impact factor: 3.390