Table 1 .
Sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors of caregivers of adults with neurological conditions (n = 1067)*
| (% unless otherwise indicated) | SCI (n = 51) | ALL (n = 1016) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caregiver sociodemographics | |||
| Age (years) mean, median (range) S.D. | 53.02, 54.00 (21.00–83.00) 14.62 | 56.90, 57.00 (19.00–94.00) 13.48 | 0.05 |
| Sex (female) | 68.63 | 72.24 | 0.57 |
| Race/ethnicity† | 0.76 | ||
| White | 76.47 | 80.06 | |
| Black/African American | 13.73 | 13.89 | |
| Other race/ethncity‡ | 5.88 | 3.57 | |
| Hispanic/Latino | 3.92 | 2.48 | |
| Marital status | 0.57 | ||
| Married or member of unmarried couple | 60.78 | 62.27 | |
| Never married | 17.65 | 11.53 | |
| Divorced/separated | 11.76 | 15.27 | |
| Widowed | 9.80 | 10.94 | |
| Highest grade completed | 0.82 | ||
| Some college/technical school or college graduate (1–4 years or more) | 72.55 | 69.00 | |
| High school graduate (grade 12 or equivalent) | 21.57 | 25.59 | |
| Less than high school graduate (grades 1–11) | 5.88 | 5.41 | |
| Employment status | 0.67 | ||
| Currently employed/self-employed | 58.82 | 54.79 | |
| Retired | 19.61 | 25.17 | |
| Other§ | 21.57 | 20.04 | |
| Annual household income | 0.2986 | ||
| ≥ $50 000¶ | 42.55 | 50.32 | |
| Caregiver lifestyle factors/risk behaviors | |||
| Did not participate in physical activity in past month | 23.53 | 21.18 | 0.69 |
| Smoking status** | 0.71 | ||
| Never | 58.82 | 53.74 | |
| Past | 23.53 | 28.64 | |
| Current | 17.65 | 17.62 | |
| Chronic drinker†† | 1.96 | 5.02 | 0.48 |
| Binge drinker‡‡ | 5.88 | 10.24 | 0.55 |
SCI, spinal cord injury. ALL: Other neurological conditions (Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, Parkinson's Disease, Stroke, Dementia).
*Item response was 91% or greater for all items.
†All respondents who reported they are of Hispanic or Latin ethnic origin are coded as Hispanic. All others reported they were of said race, and not of Hispanic origin.
‡Other race/ethnicity includes Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian /Pacific Islander, or ‘other.’
§Other includes out of work for more or less than 1 year, unable to work, homemaker, and student.
¶All respondents who reported having an annual household income of $50 000–<$75 000 or $75 000 + are coded as greater than $50 000. Those who reported having an annual household income of <$10 000, $10 000–<$15 000, $15 000–<$20 000, $20 000–<$25 000, $25 000–<$35 000, or $35 000–<$50 000 comprise the reference group, less than $50 000.
**Current smoking % (defined as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in one's lifetime and now smoking on at least ‘some days.’ Former/past smoking was defined as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in one's lifetime but not currently smoking. Never smoking was defined as not having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in one's lifetime.
††Chronic drinkers defined as adult men having more than two drinks per day and adult women having more than one drink per day.
‡‡Binge drinkers defined as males having five or more drinks on one occasion, females having four or more drinks on one occasion.
Source: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, and New Hampshire participated in the CDC BRFSS 2009/2010 optional caregiver modules.