RESEARCH ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL CONCOMITANTS OF CAREGIVING - WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

This article discusses the current state of research on the physiologi cal and physical concomitants of caregiving. We offer recommendations about theoretical, empirical, and treatment issues that researchers sh ould consider in future investigations. Important theoretical issues i nclude specifying acute and chronic stress in caregiving research. Emp irical issues include sample selection, home versus clinic assessments , the use of experimental probes, moderating and mediating variables, and measurement issues (problems with self-report of health, medical r ecords, physical exams, and lab assessments). Finally, we note that in vestigators should use this newfound knowledge to target interventions to specific subsets of vulnerable caregivers. In this way, basic rese arch into caregiving, as a model of chronic human stress, can provide more focused approaches to benefit both caregivers and patients.