Factors Associated with Family Caregivers' Burden and Depression In Korea

Abstract

This study determines the relative effects of functional impairment, cognitive impairment, and duration of care of the elderly on caregivers' depression, and identifies the factors that influence this relationship. The variables were entered individually, based on a logical order in the path modeling. For mediators, the order of three types of social support was assumed to be financial support, instrumental support, and emotional support. The order of five dimensions of caregiver burden was assumed to be impact on finances, feelings of abandonment, impact on schedule, impact on health, and sense of entrapment. Findings indicate that functional impairment had both direct and indirect effects on caregiver depression, and direct effects on impact on schedule, impact on health, and sense of entrapment. The effect of cognitive impairment on caregiver depression was primarily indirect but had direct impact on sense of entrapment. Duration of care had no direct effect on caregiver depression and burden, but did have indirect effects on impact on finances, feelings of abandonment, and impact on health through emotional support. Caregivers of elders with functional impairment were more likely to give care for longer periods, and those who give care for longer periods were likely to receive less emotional support and experience more burden in the dimensions of impact on finances, feelings of abandonment, and impact on health. Caregivers who experience greater impact on finances and impact on health ultimately were at higher risk of depression. The results have important implications for intervention models aimed to increase emotional support for the caregiver.

Factors Affecting Burden of South Koreans Providing Care to Disabled Older Family Members

“…Similar to other research (e.g., Mui, 1992) the present study demonstrated the importance of the care recipient's gender in relation to burden. This study also confirmed that caregiver burden is affected by the degree of the care recipient's dependency in tasks of daily life as well as by the degree of cognitive impairment (e.g., Franks & Stephens, 1996;Monahan & Hooker, 1995;Stull et al, 1994;Yoon, 2003). Accordingly, financial adequacy and informal social support were significantly tested to lessen the intensity of caregiver burden (e.g., Choi, 1993;Miller et al, 2001).…”

“…Several studies in South Korea have reported correlations between the care recipients's level of impairment, including functional and cognitive disabilities, and caregiving burden (Kim & Lee, 2003;Lee, 2002;Yoon, 2003). Yoon (2003) analyzed 311 South Korean caregivers who provided care to a physically and/or cognitively impaired elderly family member, and found that the amount of caregiver burden was significantly related to the levels of functional and cognitive impairments present. Additionally, Choi (1993) reported greater time commitments to tasks of care provision were positively related to the burden reported by Korean caregivers.…”

Significance of depression in family caregivers of critically ill patients discharged home

“…Moreover, low physical health score for the caregivers, which are related with less mastery (sense of control), being older, and having lower annual family income, were significantly associated with the level of assistance provided. These results are inconsistent with previous studies that showed significant association between caregiver's psychological health and patient's physical status or disease severity (2)(3)(4)(5).…”

“…In particular, caregivers of critically ill patients have higher burdens in patient care because of lack of professional knowledge on patient conditions, social supports and community resources (2)(3)(4)(5).…”

Mentally ill caregivers: Reverse burden of care and its relationship with medication adherence among women in India - an exploratory study.

“…Depressive status may be both the cause and consequences of burden. Burden may have a direct impact on CG health and causes a sense of entrapment [46]. Family dysfunction and depression are often interrelated [47].…”