Sabatini Serena, Turner Shelbie G, Stephan Blossom C M
School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.
Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, United States of America.
Aging Ment Health. 2025 Jul;29(7):1293-1305. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2025.2464705. Epub 2025 Feb 19.
This study investigated the associations between dementia caregivers' self-perceptions of aging (SPAs) and demographic, care related, and stress variables.
Cross-sectional (2021) data collected online and from the German Aging Study comprising 190 dementia caregivers (Mean age= 65.69 years; SD= 10.11) were used. Predictive variables were age, sex, education, marital status, type of district of residence, caregiving hours per week, relationship to the person with dementia, care burden, and the Relative Stress Scale. Outcome variables were one item assessing felt age, the Lawton's Attitudes toward Own Aging Scale, and the age-related cognitions scales. Univariable, multivariable, and multivariate linear regression models were used.
Multivariable and multivariate linear regression models showed that those dementia caregivers who are older, have lower education, experience higher levels of caregiving-related burden and stress, and live in urban compared to rural districts, experience more negative SPAs compared to dementia caregivers without these characteristics. Associations were of moderate size for stress and of small size for the remaining variables.
The results suggest that key characteristics in dementia caregivers are associated with more negative SPAs. Given that more negative SPAs are associated with poorer health outcomes, these individuals may benefit the most from interventions promoting positive SPAs.
本研究调查了痴呆症照料者的衰老自我认知（SPAs）与人口统计学、护理相关及压力变量之间的关联。
使用了2021年通过网络收集的横断面数据以及来自德国老龄化研究的数据，样本包括190名痴呆症照料者（平均年龄 = 65.69岁；标准差 = 10.11）。预测变量包括年龄、性别、教育程度、婚姻状况、居住地区类型、每周护理时长、与痴呆症患者的关系、护理负担以及相对压力量表。结果变量包括一项评估感知年龄的项目、劳顿对自身衰老的态度量表以及与年龄相关的认知量表。使用了单变量、多变量和多元线性回归模型。
多变量和多元线性回归模型显示，与没有这些特征的痴呆症照料者相比，年龄较大、教育程度较低、护理相关负担和压力水平较高且居住在城市地区（而非农村地区）的痴呆症照料者，其衰老自我认知更消极。压力方面的关联为中等强度，其余变量的关联为小强度。
结果表明，痴呆症照料者的关键特征与更消极的衰老自我认知相关。鉴于更消极的衰老自我认知与更差的健康结果相关，这些个体可能从促进积极衰老自我认知的干预措施中获益最大。
