Informal Care and the Impact on Depression and Anxiety Among Swedish Adults: a Population-based Cohort Study

Overview

Journal BMC Public Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Public Health

Date 2021 Jun 30

PMID 34187429

Citations 5

Authors

Marlene Stratmann

Yvonne Forsell

Jette Moller

Yajun Liang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: As the population is ageing, the need for informal caregivers increases, and thus we need to know more about the effects on caregivers. This study aims to determine both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between perceived limitation of informal caregiving and mental health of caregivers.

Methods: This population-based cohort study was based on the Swedish Psykisk hälsa, Arbete och RelaTioner (PART) study, and 9346 individuals aged 18-65 were included. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and Swedish registers. Informal care was defined as care given to a family member. Self-reported and diagnosed depression and anxiety were included as outcomes. Covariates included sex, age, social support and socio-economic position. Ordinal logistic regression and Cox regression were performed to determine the associations between caregiving and anxiety or depression.

Results: Self-reported depression and anxiety was only increased among those experiencing limitations (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 2.00, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.63-2.47 for depression; aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.57-2.74 for anxiety) compared to those not giving care, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) were increased for diagnosed depression (aHR 1.97, 95% CI 1.27-3.05) and for diagnosed anxiety (aHR 1.86, 95% CI 1.06-3.25) among those giving care and experiencing limitations, compared to those not giving care. No significant associations were found in caregivers without limitations.

Conclusion: Caregivers experiencing limitations showed a significant association with short- and long-term anxiety and depression. This study implies the importance of exploring the degree to which informal caregiving can be provided without adding burden to caregivers.

Citing Articles

The roles of employment status and income in the mental health of informal caregivers in Germany.

Scheuermann J, Pendergrass A, Diehl K, Herr R BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1):2802.

PMID: 39396955 PMC: 11472450. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20252-y.

Effects of Songwriting Group Music Therapy Program among Informal Caregivers of Older Adults with Dependency.

Perez-Nunez P, Martinez O, Espinosa P, Perosanz A, Garcia I, OCallaghan C Healthcare (Basel). 2024; 12(17).

PMID: 39273709 PMC: 11395533. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12171683.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Among Informal Caregivers of People With Chronic Health Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Ye F, Lee J, Xue D, Yu D JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(12):e2346216.

PMID: 38051530 PMC: 10698615. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46216.

Longitudinal association between informal unpaid caregiving and mental health amongst working age adults in high-income OECD countries: A systematic review.

Ervin J, Taouk Y, Fleitas Alfonzo L, Peasgood T, King T EClinicalMedicine. 2022; 53:101711.

PMID: 36353526 PMC: 9637877. DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101711.

Bridge or Barrier? The Impact of Network Capital on the Receipt of Long-Term Care Services in Germany.

Baum A J Aging Health. 2022; 35(1-2):23-41.

PMID: 35686815 PMC: 9755703. DOI: 10.1177/08982643221098779.

References

Kim G, Allen R, Wang S, Park S, Perkins E, Parmelee P . The Relation Between Multiple Informal Caregiving Roles and Subjective Physical and Mental Health Status Among Older Adults: Do Racial/Ethnic Differences Exist?. Gerontologist. 2018; 59(3):499-508. PMC: 6524479. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnx196. View

Sharma N, Chakrabarti S, Grover S . Gender differences in caregiving among family - caregivers of people with mental illnesses. World J Psychiatry. 2016; 6(1):7-17. PMC: 4804270. DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v6.i1.7. View

Almas A, Forsell Y, Iqbal R, Janszky I, Moller J . Severity of Depression, Anxious Distress and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in a Swedish Population-Based Cohort. PLoS One. 2015; 10(10):e0140742. PMC: 4607409. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140742. View

Abajo M, Rodriguez-Sanz M, Malmusi D, Salvador M, Borrell C . Gender and socio-economic inequalities in health and living conditions among co-resident informal caregivers: a nationwide survey in Spain. J Adv Nurs. 2016; 73(3):700-715. DOI: 10.1111/jan.13172. View

Maguire R, Hanly P, Maguire P . Beyond care burden: associations between positive psychological appraisals and well-being among informal caregivers in Europe. Qual Life Res. 2019; 28(8):2135-2146. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-019-02122-y. View

Tuithof M, Have M, van Dorsselaer S, de Graaf R . Emotional disorders among informal caregivers in the general population: target groups for prevention. BMC Psychiatry. 2015; 15:23. PMC: 4337323. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-015-0406-0. View

Buyck J, Ankri J, Dugravot A, Bonnaud S, Nabi H, Kivimaki M . Informal caregiving and the risk for coronary heart disease: the Whitehall II study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013; 68(10):1316-23. PMC: 3779628. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glt025. View

Petrini M, Cirulli F, DAmore A, Masella R, Venerosi A, Care A . Health issues and informal caregiving in Europe and Italy. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2019; 55(1):41-50. DOI: 10.4415/ANN_19_01_08. View

Verbakel E, Tamlagsronning S, Winstone L, Fjaer E, Eikemo T . Informal care in Europe: findings from the European Social Survey (2014) special module on the social determinants of health. Eur J Public Health. 2017; 27(suppl_1):90-95. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckw229. View

10.

Lundberg I, Damstrom Thakker K, Hallstrom T, Forsell Y . Determinants of non-participation, and the effects of non-participation on potential cause-effect relationships, in the PART study on mental disorders. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2005; 40(6):475-83. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-005-0911-4. View

11.

Capistrant B, Moon J, Berkman L, Glymour M . Current and long-term spousal caregiving and onset of cardiovascular disease. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011; 66(10):951-6. PMC: 3855843. DOI: 10.1136/jech-2011-200040. View

12.

Shahly V, Chatterji S, Gruber M, Al-Hamzawi A, Alonso J, Andrade L . Cross-national differences in the prevalence and correlates of burden among older family caregivers in the World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. Psychol Med. 2012; 43(4):865-79. PMC: 4045502. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291712001468. View

13.

Zwar L, Konig H, Hajek A . Psychosocial consequences of transitioning into informal caregiving in male and female caregivers: Findings from a population-based panel study. Soc Sci Med. 2020; 264:113281. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113281. View

14.

Deleskog A, Ljung R, Forsell Y, Nevriana A, Almas A, Moller J . Severity of depression, anxious distress and the risk of type 2 diabetes - a population-based cohort study in Sweden. BMC Public Health. 2019; 19(1):1174. PMC: 6712830. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7322-z. View

15.

Plothner M, Schmidt K, de Jong L, Zeidler J, Damm K . Needs and preferences of informal caregivers regarding outpatient care for the elderly: a systematic literature review. BMC Geriatr. 2019; 19(1):82. PMC: 6417014. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-019-1068-4. View

16.

Lee S, Colditz G, Berkman L, Kawachi I . Caregiving and risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. women: a prospective study. Am J Prev Med. 2003; 24(2):113-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0749-3797(02)00582-2. View

17.

McLean C, Asnaani A, Litz B, Hofmann S . Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness. J Psychiatr Res. 2011; 45(8):1027-35. PMC: 3135672. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.006. View

18.

Verbakel E . How to understand informal caregiving patterns in Europe? The role of formal long-term care provisions and family care norms. Scand J Public Health. 2017; 46(4):436-447. PMC: 5989248. DOI: 10.1177/1403494817726197. View

19.

Mortensen J, Dich N, Lange T, Ramlau-Hansen C, Head J, Kivimaki M . Weekly hours of informal caregiving and paid work, and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eur J Public Health. 2018; 28(4):743-747. PMC: 6051450. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx227. View

20.

Lacey R, McMunn A, Webb E . Informal caregiving patterns and trajectories of psychological distress in the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Psychol Med. 2018; 49(10):1652-1660. PMC: 6601356. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291718002222. View