Does duration of spousal caregiving affect risk of depression onset? Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.

TitleDoes duration of spousal caregiving affect risk of depression onset? Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsCapistrant, BD, Berkman, LF, M. Glymour, M
JournalAm J Geriatr Psychiatry
Volume22
Issue8
Pagination766-70
Date Published2014 Aug
ISSN Number1545-7214
KeywordsAged, Caregivers, depression, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Retirement, Risk Factors, Spouses, Time Factors, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association of current and long-term spousal caregiving with risk of depression in a nationally (U.S.) representative sample of older adults.

METHODS: We studied married and depression-free Health and Retirement Study respondents aged 50 years and older (n = 9,420) at baseline from 2000 to 2010. Current (≥14 hours per week of help with instrumental/activities of daily living for a spouse in the most recent biennial survey) and long-term caregiving (care at two consecutive surveys) were used to predict onset of elevated depressive symptoms (≥3 on a modified Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) with discrete-time hazards models and time-updated exposure and covariate information.

RESULTS: Current caregiving was associated with significant elevations in risk of depression onset (hazard ratio: 1.64; Wald χ(2), 1 df: 28.34; p <0.0001). Effect estimates for long-term caregiving were similar (hazard ratio: 1.52, Wald χ(2), 1 df: 3.63; p = 0.06).

CONCLUSIONS: Current spousal caregiving significantly predicted onset of depression; the association was not exacerbated by longer duration of caregiving.

Notes

Times Cited: 0

DOI10.1016/j.jagp.2013.01.073
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23791537?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Caregiving/depression/depressive symptoms/older adults/spouses/spousal caregiving

Endnote ID

999999

Alternate JournalAm J Geriatr Psychiatry
Citation Key7982
PubMed ID23791537
PubMed Central IDPMC3785551
Grant ListU01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32HD007168 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
U01AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32 HD007168 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
R24 HD050924 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
R24HD050924 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States