PREVENTIVE HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG SPOUSAL CAREGIVERS

Background The physical, and emotional burden of caring for a function ally impaired spouse may adversely affect the preventive health behavi or of the caregiver. This study explores the relationship between care giving and lifestyle health behaviors and use of preventive services. Methods. The Caregiver Health Effects Study identified spousal caregiv ers among a sample of more than 3,000 married, community-dwelling olde r persons, from four counties in the United States, who were enrollees in the Cardiovascular Health Study. High-level caregivers were define d as having a spouse with an ADL impairment (n = 212) and moderate-lev el caregivers, a spouse with one or more IADL impairments (n = 222). F or each caregiver, a control, matched for age and gender, was selected (n = 385). Structured interviews were conducted in the home, followin g enrollment. Results. Being a high-level caregiver significantly incr eased the odds of not getting enough rest, not having enough time to e xercise, not having time to rest to recuperate from illness, and forge tting to take prescription medications, compared with noncaregivers. T hese findings did not hold for moderate-level casegivers. The odds wer e not significantly different for either level of caregiver compared w ith noncaregivers for missing meals, missing doctor appointments, miss ing flu shoes, and not refilling medications. Larger proportions of ca regivers with a strong sense of control had good preventive health beh aviors, compared with care givers with a weak sense of control. (C) 19 97 Academic Press.