Health practices of adults with elder care responsibilities.

BACKGROUND

This study examined health-risk behaviors and preventive health care activities among caregivers for older adults.

METHODS

Survey questionnaires regarding health practices were completed by 272 caregivers and 917 noncaregivers selected through a stratified random sample of persons age 50 or older who were members of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan in Northern California.

RESULTS

Controlling for age, gender, race, education, marital status, and income level, caregivers were more likely than noncaregivers to eat breakfast daily, get flu shots, and receive pneumonia vaccines. Caregivers and noncaregivers did not differ significantly with regard to any of 10 other health practices or to the total number of positive health behaviors. Poorer health practices were associated with nonwhite racial identification, low income level, part-time employment, and health limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that, at least for caregivers who have access to the extensive health promotion resources of a large health maintenance organization, caregiving responsibilities may not always have the deleterious impact on health and health practices that had previously been assumed.