Does caring for your spouse harm one's health? Evidence from a United States nationally-representative sample of older adults
Does caring for your spouse harm one's health? Evidence from a United States nationally-representative sample of older adults
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DOI：
10.1017/s0144686x08007824
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发表时间：
2009-02-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Langa, Kenneth M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Jenkins, Kristi Rahrig;Kabeto, Mohammed U.;Langa, Kenneth M.
本文的目的是探讨老年照顾者的配偶照顾与功能下降和自测健康之间的关系。作者使用的数据来自2000年和2002年的浪潮或美国健康与退休研究，这是一项两年一度的纵向调查，对象是年龄在50岁或以上的全国代表性成年人队列。检查了两种结果，功能下降和自评健康状况下降，护理人员被分为三组：每周不提供护理少于14小时，每周提供护理14小时或以上。为了评估功能的下降，创建了两个汇总评分或基本和工具性日常生活活动的限制。为了评估自评健康状况的下降，我们比较了2000年和2002年的回答。在完全调整后的模型中，照顾孩子的时间没有独立的影响。功能或自我评估健康状况下降。护理时间与功能下降和自测健康之间的关系可能归因于社会人口特征，主要是年龄。研究结果表明，配偶照顾本身并不损害老年人照顾者的功能健康或感知健康。了解这些社会经济特征与护理时间对健康的不同影响，将有助于促进老年人护理人员的健康和治疗他们的疾病。
The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between spousal care-giving and declines in functioning and self-rated health among older care-givers. The authors used data from the 2000 and 2002 waves or the United States Health and Retirement Study, a biennial longitudinal survey of a nationally representative cohort of adults aged 50 or more years. Two outcomes were examined, declines in functioning and declines in self-rated health, Care-givers were classified into three groups: no care-giving less than 14 hours of care-giving per week, and 14 or more hours care-giving per week. To assess declines in functioning, two Summary scores were created or limitations in basic and instrumental Activities of Daily Living. To assess declines in self-rated health, we compared responses from 2000 and 2002. In the fully adjusted models, care-giving hours did riot have an independent effect. on declines in functioning or self-rated health. The relationship between care-giving hours and declines in functioning and self-rated health is probably attributable to socio-demographic characteristics, mainly age. The findings suggest that spousal care-giving does not of itself harm functional health or perceived health among older adult care-givers. Understanding the differential effects or these socio-economic characteristics with care-giving hours on health will be useful in promoting the health of older adult care-givers and treating their disorders.