Burton L C, Newsom J T, Schulz R, Hirsch C H, German P S
Health Services Research and Development Center, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Prev Med. 1997 Mar-Apr;26(2):162-9. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1996.0129.
The physical and emotional burden of caring for a functionally impaired spouse may adversely affect the preventive health behavior of the caregiver. This study explores the relationship between caregiving and lifestyle health behaviors and use of preventive services.
The Caregiver Health Effects Study identified spousal caregivers among a sample of more than 3,000 married, community-dwelling older persons, from four counties in the United States, who were enrollees in the Cardiovascular Health Study. High-level caregivers were defined as having a spouse with an ADL impairment (n = 212) and moderate-level caregivers, a spouse with one or more IADL impairments (n = 222). For each caregiver, a control, matched for age and gender, was selected (n = 385). Structured interviews were conducted in the home, following enrollment.
Being a high-level caregiver significantly increased the odds of not getting enough rest, not having enough time to exercise, not having time to rest to recuperate from illness, and forgetting to take prescription medications, compared with noncaregivers. These findings did not hold for moderate-level caregivers. The odds were not significantly different for either level of caregiver compared with noncaregivers for missing meals, missing doctor appointments, missing flu shots, and not refilling medications. Larger proportions of caregivers with a strong sense of control had good preventive health behaviors, compared with caregivers with a weak sense of control.
照顾功能受损配偶的身心负担可能会对照顾者的预防性健康行为产生不利影响。本研究探讨了照顾与生活方式健康行为以及预防性服务使用之间的关系。
照顾者健康影响研究在美国四个县的3000多名已婚社区居住老年人样本中确定了配偶照顾者，这些老年人是心血管健康研究的参与者。高级照顾者被定义为配偶有日常生活活动（ADL）障碍（n = 212），中级照顾者的配偶有一项或多项工具性日常生活活动（IADL）障碍（n = 222）。为每位照顾者选择一名年龄和性别匹配的对照者（n = 385）。登记后在其家中进行结构化访谈。
与非照顾者相比，作为高级照顾者显著增加了休息不足、没有足够时间锻炼、没有时间休息以从疾病中恢复以及忘记服用处方药的几率。这些发现不适用于中级照顾者。与非照顾者相比，无论是高级还是中级照顾者，在错过用餐、错过医生预约、错过流感疫苗接种以及未重新配药方面的几率没有显著差异。与控制感较弱的照顾者相比，控制感较强的照顾者中采取良好预防性健康行为的比例更高。
