In Caring for Older People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Do Older Caregivers Have a High Level of Care Burden and Psychological Morbidity Compared to Younger Caregivers?
Issued Date
2022-12-01
Resource Type
ISSN
16617827
eISSN
16604601
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85144570670
Pubmed ID
36554286
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume
19
Issue
24
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.24 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Phetsitong R., Vapattanawong P., Mayston R., Prince M., Chua K.C. In Caring for Older People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Do Older Caregivers Have a High Level of Care Burden and Psychological Morbidity Compared to Younger Caregivers?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.24 (2022). doi:10.3390/ijerph192416405 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/84654
Title
In Caring for Older People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Do Older Caregivers Have a High Level of Care Burden and Psychological Morbidity Compared to Younger Caregivers?
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Caregivers have become older as longevity increases. Caregiving for older people can cause burdens and psychological morbidity, which are the chronic stresses perceived by informal caregivers. This study aimed to compare the levels of care burden and psychological morbidity between older and younger caregivers in low- and middle-income countries. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and China. Data were collected by the 10/66 Dementia Research Group. The Zarit Burden Inventory was used to measure the levels of burden on caregivers. Psychological morbidity was assessed through the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Data from 1348 households in which informal caregivers provided home care for one older person were included in the analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the effects of caregiver age upon care burden and psychological morbidity. A fixed-effect meta-analysis model was used to obtain a pooled estimate of the overall odds ratios of each country. The unadjusted and the adjusted model for potential covariates revealed no significant difference in care burden and psychological morbidity between older caregivers and younger caregivers. The adjusted pooled estimates, however, indicated a lower psychological morbidity among older caregivers (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41–0.93, I2 = 0.0%). The demographic implications of caregiver age may suggest different policy responses across low- and middle-income countries.