Self-reported changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and screen time among informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Informal caregivers providing unpaid assistance may be vulnerable to changes in health behaviors due to modifications in caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this cross-sectional study explored self-reported changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and screen time among informal caregivers providing care for older adults aged 50+ during the pandemic. Methods Study participants were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and reported their perceived changes (increased a lot, increased a little, remained the same, decreased a little, decreased a lot) in moderate-intensity PA (MPA), vigorous-intensity PA (VPA), sedentary behavior, and screen time (weekday and weekend) during the pandemic. For analytic purposes, response categories were categorized into three-level ordinal variables—increased (increased a lot, increased a little), no change (remained the same), decreased (decreased a little, decreased a lot). Multinomial logistic regression models assessed the likelihood of changes (vs. no change) in MPA, VPA, sedentary behavior, and screen time (weekday, weekend) based on caregiving and demographic characteristics. Results In total, 2574 individuals accessed the study link, 464 of whom did not meet eligibility requirements. In addition, people who completed 80% or less of the survey (n = 1171) and/or duplicate IP addresse (n = 104) were excluded, resulting in an analytic sample of n = 835. The sample was 69% male, had a mean age of 34 (SD = 9.7), and 48% reported increased VPA, while 55% reported increased MPA. The majority also reported increased sedentary behavior, as well as increased screen time. Respondents living with their care recipient were more likely to report increased weekday screen time (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.55, 95% CI 1.11–2.16) and sedentary behavior (OR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.28–2.53) than respondents not living with the care recipient. Those living with their care recipient were also more likely to reported increased MPA (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.16–2.32), and VPA (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.09–2.15), but also more likely to report a decrease in VPA (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.14–2.70). Conclusion The majority of respondents reported that their MPA, VPA PA, sedentary behavior, and screen time had changed during the pandemic. Living with the care recipient was associated with both positive and negative changes in behavior. Future research can explore factors associated with these reported changes in behavior.

Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on family carers in the community: A scoping review

“…More specifically, carers reported worries about contracting the virus or being quarantined (Vaitheswaran et al., 2020; Yasuma et al., 2021), while increased sedentary behaviour and screen time was documented by Greaney et al. (2021). Other studies highlighted exacerbation of care recipients’ symptoms during COVID‐19 as a source of worry for carers (Alexopoulos et al., 2021; Borelli et al., 2021; Budnick et al., 2021; Carbone et al., 2021; Giebel et al., 2021; Pongan et al., 2021; Prasad et al., 2020; Rainero et al., 2021; Salari et al., 2020; Tsapanou et al., 2021; Yasuma et al., 2021).…”

“…Frequently cited psychological concerns included fear (Carballo et al, 2021;Cohen et al, 2020;D'herde et al, 2021;Fisher et al, 2021;Ng et al, 2020;Simblett et al, 2021;West et al, 2021) 40% of carers believed their own health was more endangered compared to the period before the pandemic. More specifically, carers reported worries about contracting the virus or being quarantined (Vaitheswaran et al, 2020;Yasuma et al, 2021), while increased sedentary behaviour and screen time was documented by Greaney et al (2021). Other studies highlighted exacerbation of care recipients' symptoms during COVID-19 as a source of worry for carers (Alexopoulos et al, 2021;Borelli et al, 2021;Budnick et al, 2021;Carbone et al, 2021;Pongan et al, 2021;Prasad et al, 2020;Rainero et al, 2021;Salari et al, 2020;Tsapanou et al, 2021;Yasuma et al, 2021).…”

Depression among caregivers of patients with dementia: Associative factors and management approaches

“…Depression can cause a variety of psychological and physical problems and raise the risk of caregiver suicide[ 2 ]. It compromises caregivers’ physical health[ 3 ], reduces caregivers’ quality of life[ 4 ], and has been shown to cause caregivers to place patients with dementia in an institutional care facility more rapidly[ 5 , 6 ]. Depression in caregivers can also influence dementia patients’ cognitive status and has been associated with more rapid cognitive decline in the dementia patients studied[ 7 ].…”

Caring in the time of COVID-19, longitudinal trends in well-being and mental health in carers in Ireland: Evidence from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

“…These differences in the proportion of available adults to provide care, and the increased proportion of younger dependents in Ireland, particularly as the need for informal caregiving increases, with continued pressures on formal state-provided services, suggest that there may also be a differential proportion of informal caregiving to adult children and grandchildren, in addition to older relatives, amongst the older population in Ireland compared to other EU countries. The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family caregivers has received attention worldwide, cross sectional ( Boutoleau-Bretonnière et al, 2020 ; Budnick et al, 2021 ; Greaney et al, 2021 ; Taniguchi et al, 2021 ), and repeated cross sectional studies of carers have been carried out during the pandemic ( Noguchi et al, 2021 ; Zwar et al, 2021), however longitudinal quantitative data are sparse. One longitudinal study of adults aged 50 years and over carried out between June and August 2020 across 26 European countries found that parental caregivers who increased caregiving had increased depression and anxiety.…”