Enrolling Incident Caregivers and Matched Controls From a Nationwide Epidemiological Study. (16th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roth, David; Haley, William; Sheehan, Orla; Rhodes, J David; Howard, Virginia
• Is Part Of: Innovation in aging. Volume 4(2020)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 658
• Page End: 658
• Publication Date: 2020-12-16
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-5300

Abstract

Abstract: Participants in the national Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study were asked about family caregiving responsibilities at enrollment (2003-2007). Among the 88% of participants who were not caregivers at enrollment, 1, 229 reported becoming caregivers before a follow-up interview 12 years later. The Caregiving Transitions Study screened these participants and enrolled 251 as incident caregivers. All reported 5 or more hours of care per week, provided assistance with at least one ADL or IADL, and were caregivers for at least 3 months before a 2nd blood sample was obtained in the REGARDS study. A total of 251 noncaregiving control participants who reported no caregiving responsibilities over this 12-year period were also enrolled. Each control was matched to a caregiver on age (+ 5 years), sex, race, other demographics, and baseline (pre-caregiving) health variables. Descriptive analyses confirm the unique comparability of the samples compared to previous caregiving studies.