Chen-Chun Shu1, Benjumin Hsu1,2,3, Robert G Cumming1,3,4, Fiona M Blyth1, Louise M Waite1,5, David G Le Couteur1,5, David J Handelsman6, Vasi Naganathan1,5. 1. Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, University of Sydney and Concord Clinical School, Sydney, Australia. 2. Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 3. School of Public health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. 4. ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, Sydney, Australia. 5. Ageing and Alzheimer's Institute, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia. 6. ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: while both negative and positive impacts of caregiving on health have been reported, findings regarding caregiver's mortality may be biased by the lack of consideration of changes in their health and caregiving status during follow-up. This study examines the impact of caregiving on the risk of death in older men, allowing for caregiving-transition by individuals and adjusting for changes over time in their health status. METHODS: data from 1639 men age ≥70 years old from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP) were collected between baseline (2005-07), 2-year and 5-year follow-up and linked to death records up to 30 September 2015. A time-varying Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the risk of death from caregiving between 2005 and 2015, adjusting for baseline education, history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and risk factors which may change over time (age, income, self-rated overall health, number of morbidities, physical disability, depression and anxiety). RESULTS: the average follow-up was 7.39 years (SD = 2.95) with 495 deaths observed. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between caregivers and non-caregivers in the multivariable model (HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.67-1.32, P = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: this study addressed the dynamic caregiving role and covariates which has been rarely considered in the literature. While there is concern that when older people take on a caring role their health suffers, we found no difference in mortality between older male caregivers and non-caregivers when we accounted for transitions in their caregiving status.
BACKGROUND: while both negative and positive impacts of caregiving on health have been reported, findings regarding caregiver's mortality may be biased by the lack of consideration of changes in their health and caregiving status during follow-up. This study examines the impact of caregiving on the risk of death in older men, allowing for caregiving-transition by individuals and adjusting for changes over time in their health status. METHODS: data from 1639 men age ≥70 years old from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP) were collected between baseline (2005-07), 2-year and 5-year follow-up and linked to death records up to 30 September 2015. A time-varying Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the risk of death from caregiving between 2005 and 2015, adjusting for baseline education, history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and risk factors which may change over time (age, income, self-rated overall health, number of morbidities, physical disability, depression and anxiety). RESULTS: the average follow-up was 7.39 years (SD = 2.95) with 495 deaths observed. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between caregivers and non-caregivers in the multivariable model (HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.67-1.32, P = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: this study addressed the dynamic caregiving role and covariates which has been rarely considered in the literature. While there is concern that when older people take on a caring role their health suffers, we found no difference in mortality between older male caregivers and non-caregivers when we accounted for transitions in their caregiving status.
Authors: Tuija M Mikkola; Hannu Kautiainen; Minna Mänty; Mikaela B von Bonsdorff; Teppo Kröger; Johan G Eriksson Journal: Aging Clin Exp Res Date: 2020-10-11 Impact factor: 3.636