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. 2021 Sep;21(9):855-864.
doi: 10.1111/ggi.14250. Epub 2021 Jul 28.

Factors associated with psychological distress in family caregivers: Findings from nationwide data in Japan

Yu Sun  1 , Masao Iwagami  2   3 , Taeko Watanabe  3 , Nobuo Sakata  2   3 , Takehiro Sugiyama  2   3   4   5 , Atsushi Miyawaki  3   6 , Nanako Tamiya  2   3
Affiliations

Factors associated with psychological distress in family caregivers: Findings from nationwide data in Japan

Yu Sun et al. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Aim: Family caregivers can experience psychological distress, resulting in physical and mental health problems, and discontinuation of caregiving. This study's objective was to examine factors associated with caregiver psychological distress.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016, which included 12 504 pairs of caregivers and care recipients sharing a household in Japan. Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K6) was used to measure caregiver psychological distress. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with caregiver psychological distress (K6 score ≥5).

Results: Caregivers' median K6 score was 3 (interquartile range 0-7), and 38.6% had a K6 score ≥5. K6 scores ≥5 were positively associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio 1.35, 95% CI 1.21-1.51), poor caregiver health status (compared with "very good," 9.48, 95% CI 7.91-11.37 for "not very good/poor"), longer care time (compared with "help only when needed," 1.40, 95% CI 1.25-1.58 for "almost all day") and dementia (1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.28), lower respiratory tract disease (1.25, 95% CI 1.06-1.49) and diabetes (1.16, 95% CI 1.00-1.33) in care recipients. K6 scores ≥5 were negatively associated with older caregiver age (compared with 20-54 years, 0.65, 95%CI 0.58-0.74 for 55-64 years, 0.54, 95%CI 0.46-0.63 for 65-74 years and 0.50, 95% CI 0.40-0.62 for ≥75 years), employment (0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.97) and being a care recipient's child-in-law (compared with spouse 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.92).

Conclusions: The findings identified several factors associated with caregiver psychological distress, showing that particular attention might need to be paid to caregivers with these risk factors. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 855-864.

Keywords: caregiver burden; caregivers; observational study; psychological distress; risk factors.

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