Table 2.

Characteristics of caregivers and caring process

Variables	n	%	95.0% CIc
Sex
Male	56	19.9	15.7–25.0
Female	225	81.1	75.0–84.3
Age (years)
≤ 40	52	18.5	14.4–23.6
41–60	119	42.3	36.7–48.2
> 60	110	39.1	33.6–45.0
Education (years)
Low	189	67.3	61.6–72.5
Average	77	27.4	22.5–32.9
High	15	5.3	2.3–8.6
Marital status
Without partner	115	40.9	35.6–46.8
With partner	166	59.1	53.2–64.7
Childrena
No	21	7.5	5.0–11.2
Yes	259	92.5	88.8–95.0
Religiona
No	13	4.6	2.7–7.8
Yes	267	95.4	92.2–97.3
Relationship with the patient
Spouse	116	41.3	35.7–47.1
Parents	41	14.6	10.9–19.2
Other	124	44.1	38.4–50.0
Chronic disease (self-report)
No	210	74.7	69.3–79.5
Yes	71	25.3	20.5–30.7
Depression (self-report)
No	258	91.8	88.0–94.5
Yes	23	8.2	5.5–12.0
Living with patient
No	77	27.4	22.5–32.9
Yes	204	72.6	67.1–77.5
Physical activity
High	78	27.8	22.8–33.3
Average	30	10.7	7.6–14.8
Low	173	61.6	55.8–67.1
Receiving help with care
No	194	69.0	63.4–74.2
Yes	87	31.0	25.8–36.6
Another family member needing care
No	166	59.1	53.2–64.7
Yes	115	40.9	35.3–46.8
	Mean	SDd	95.0% CIc
Family income (U$$)b	615.12	312.52	576.97–652.45
Time as caregiver (years)	12.13	11.44	10.79–13.48
Contact days (per week)	6.38	1.60	6.19–6.57

^aMissing: 1

^bMissing: 7

^c95.0% confidence interval

^dStandard deviation