Table 1.
Summary of demographic and biopsychosocial factors characterizing the informal caregiver (cases) and non-informal caregiver (controls).
| Caregivers (Cases; N = 1375) | Non-Caregiver (Controls; N = 2750) | Univariate Analysis (p-value; 95% CI—confidence interval) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean; SD) | 62.0 (9.9) | 61.5 (9.5) | 0.13 (−0.14 to 1.01) |
| Ethnic Group (Caucasian; %) | 603 (98.0) | 2454 (97.6) | 0.00 (−1.32 to −1.15) |
| Gender (female; %) (N = 11,730) | 865 (62.9) | 1705 (62.0) | <0.01 (0.09 to 0.353 |
| Relationship (n; %) | |||
| Married | 1087 (79.1) | 1866 (67.9) | <0.01 (−0.38 to −0.22) |
| Cohabit | 58 (4.2) | 133 (4.8) | |
| Neither | 230 (16.7) | 751 (27.3) | |
| Employment status | |||
| Retired | 594 (43.2) | 1125 (41.0) | 0.48 (−0.01 to 0.00) |
| Employed | 382 (27.8) | 966 (35.1) | |
| Self-employed | 69 (5.0) | 200 (7.3) | |
| Unemployed | 20 (1.5) | 24 (0.9) | |
| Permanently sick/disabled | 73 (5.3) | 150 (5.5) | |
| Looking after home or family | 225 (16.4) | 245 (8.9) | |
| Not reported | 12 (0.9) | 40 (1.5) | |
| Relationship to care-recipient (n; %) | |||
| Spouse | 615 (44.7) | ||
| Parent | 378 (27.5) | ||
| Parent in law | 93 (6.8) | ||
| Other relative | 128 (9.3) | ||
| Friend or neighbor | 167 (12.1) | ||
| Not reported | |||
| Hours caregiving in past week (mean; SD; n = 376) | 56.8 (70.2) | ||
| Number of members in household (mean; SD) | 2.3 (0.9) | 2.1 (0.9) | <0.01 (0.07 to 0.19) |
| Self-reported | |||
| Excellent | 73 (5.3) | 192 (7.0) | 0.03 (−0.05 to 0.01) |
| Very good | 215 (15.6) | 446 (16.2) | |
| Good | 244 (17.8) | 456 (16.6) | |
| Fair | 117 (8.5) | 250 (9.1) | |
| Poor | 25 (1.8) | 69 (2.5) | |
| Not reported | 701 (51.0) | 1337 (48.6) | |
| Self-reported chronic diseases (yes; %) | 766 (55.7) | 1457 (53.0) | 0.10 (−0.24 to 0.02) |
| Often troubled by pain (yes; %) | 583 (42.4) | 1027 (37.4) | <0.01 (−0.34 to −0.08) |
| Immediate word recall (mean; SD) | 5.75 (1.62) | 5.45 (1.78) | 0.05 (−0.02 to −0.00) |
| Delayed word recall (mean; SD) | 4.36 (2.00) | 4.07 (2.08) | 0.82 (−0.01 to 0.01) |
| Fluency score (mean; SD) | 20.34 (6.10) | 19.30 (6.13) | 0.02 (−0.01 to −0.00) |
| Numeracy score (mean; SD) | 4.05 (1.24) | 4.05 (1.30) | 0.02 (0.00 to 0.03) |
| Prospective memory score (mean; SD) | 5.57 (2.40) | 5.35 (2.54) | 0.61 (−0.01 to 0.00) |
| Self-reported depression (yes; %) | 259 (18.8) | 449 (16.3) | 0.13 (−0.29 to 0.04) |
| Self-reported loneliness (yes; %) | 141 (10.3) | 323 (11.8) | 0.06 (−0.01 to 0.39) |
| Sociological Measures | |||
| Frequency went to cinema | |||
| Twice a month or more | 22 (1.6) | 50 (1.8) | <0.01 (0.03 to 0.13) |
| About once a month | 62 (4.5) | 113 (4.1) | |
| Every few months | 140 (10.2) | 363 (13.2) | |
| Once or twice a year | 204 (14.8) | 472 (17.2) | |
| Less than once a year | 221 (16.1) | 455 (16.6) | |
| Never | 726 (52.8) | 1297 (47.2) | |
| Frequency ate out | |||
| Twice a month or more | 514 (37.4) | 1114 (40.5) | <0.01 (0.04 to 0.13) |
| About once a month | 272 (20.0) | 594 (21.6) | |
| Every few months | 262 (19.1) | 509 (18.5) | |
| Once or twice a year | 160 (11.6) | 299 (10.9) | |
| Less than once a year | 35 (2.6) | 62 (2.3) | |
| Never | 132 (9.6) | 172 (6.3) | |
| Frequency visited art gallery/museum | |||
| Twice a month or more | 22 (1.6) | 58 (2.1) | 0.03 (0.01 to 0.11) |
| About once a month | 58 (4.2) | 96 (3.5) | |
| Every few months | 159 (11.6) | 352 (12.8) | |
| Once or twice a year | 296 (21.5) | 636 (23.1) | |
| Less than once a year | 190 (13.8) | 468 (17.0) | |
| Never | 650 (47.3) | 1140 (41.5) | |
| Frequency visited theatre, concert, opera | |||
| Twice a month or more | 24 (1.8) | 52 (1.9) | 0.01 (0.02 to 0.11) |
| About once a month | 73 (5.3) | 148 (5.4) | |
| Every few months | 239 (17.4) | 515 (18.7) | |
| Once or twice a year | 300 (21.8) | 694 (25.2) | |
| Less than once a year | 178 (13.0) | 360 (13.1) | |
| Never | 561 (40.8) | 981 (35.7) | |
| Holiday in UK in last 12 months (yes; %) | 811 (59.0) | 1628 (59.2) | 0.73 (−0.10 to 0.15) |
| Holiday abroad in last 12 months (yes; %; N = 10,755) | 599 (43.6) | 1454 (52.9) | <0.01 (−0.44 to −0.18) |
| Daytrips last 12 months (yes; %) | 940 (68.4) | 2007 (73.0) | 0.02 (−0.29 to −0.03) |
| Use the internet/email (yes; %) | 434 (31.6) | 993 (36.1) | 0.02 (−0.28 to −0.02) |
| Attend political party, trade union, environmental group (yes; %) | 181 (13.2) | 408 (14.8) | 0.21 (-0.05 to 0.20) |
| Member of residential group (yes; %) | 262 (19.1) | 475 (17.3) | <0.01 (0.06 to 0.33) |
| Church or religious member (yes; %) | 326 (23.7) | 531 (19.3) | <0.01 (0.15 to 0.44) |
| Member of charitable organization (yes; %) | 297 (21.6) | 460 (16.7) | <0.01 (0.19 to 0.50) |
| Attends education, arts, music group (yes; %) | 192 (14.0) | 368 (13.4) | 0.01 (0.03 to 0.31) |
| Attend social club (yes; %) | 240 (17.5) | 559 (20.3) | 0.55 (−0.08 to 0.14) |
| Attend sports club, gym or evening class (yes; %) | 263 (19.1) | 571 (20.8) | 0.23 (−0.04 to 0.18) |
| Attends another organization or club (yes; %) | 294 (21.4) | 691 (25.1) | 0.88 (−0.09 to 0.11) |
| Psychological Measures | |||
| GHQ-12 (General Health Questionnaire-12): concertation (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 32 (2.3) | 71 (2.6) | <0.01 (0.07 to 0.34) |
| Same as usual | 1167 (84.9) | 2374 (86.3) | |
| Less than usual | 154 (11.2) | 246 (9.0) | |
| Much less than usual | 22 (1.6) | 43 (1.6) | |
| GHQ-12: loss sleep due to worry (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 437 (31.8) | 1032 (37.5) | <0.01 (0.18 to 0.35) |
| Same as usual | 691 (50.3) | 1372 (49.9) | |
| Less than usual | 186 (13.5) | 268 (9.8) | |
| Much less than usual | 61 (4.4) | 62 (2.3) | |
| GHQ-12: perceived value (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 120 (8.7) | 194 (7.1) | 0.68 (−0.08 to 0.12) |
| Same as usual | 1112 (80.9) | 2247 (81.7) | |
| Less than usual | 111 (8.1) | 209 (7.6) | |
| Much less than usual | 32 (2.3) | 82 (3.0) | |
| GHQ-12: capable of decision-making (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 76 (5.5) | 164 (6.0) | 0.14 (−0.04 to 0.25) |
| Same as usual | 1224 (86.0) | 2408 (87.6) | |
| Less than usual | 68 (5.0) | 142 (5.2) | |
| Much less than usual | 7 (0.5) | 20 (0.7) | |
| GHQ-12: constantly under strain (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 282 (20.5) | 754 (27.4) | <0.01 (0.24 to 0.42) |
| Same as usual | 754 (54.8) | 1550 (56.4) | |
| Less than usual | 282 (20.5) | 366 (13.3) | |
| Much less than usual | 56 (4.1) | 63 (2.3) | |
| GHQ-12: unable to overcome difficulties (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 420 (30.6) | 1052 (38.3) | <0.01 (0.15 to 0.33) |
| Same as usual | 779 (56.7) | 1411 (51.3) | |
| Less than usual | 146 (10.6) | 205 (7.5) | |
| Much less than usual | 30 (2.2) | 65 (2.4) | |
| GHQ-12: able to enjoy life (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 65 (4.7) | 128 (4.7) | 0.01 (0.05 to 0.28) |
| Same as usual | 1099 (79.9) | 2261 (82.2) | |
| Less than usual | 177 (12.9) | 279 (10.2) | |
| Much less than usual | 34 (2.5) | 66 (2.4) | |
| GHQ-12: resilience (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 64 (4.7) | 119 (4.3) | <0.01 (0.15 to 0.33) |
| Same as usual | 1181 (85.9) | 2405 (87.5) | |
| Less than usual | 109 (7.9) | 170 (6.2) | |
| Much less than usual | 21 (1.5) | 40 (1.5) | |
| GHQ-12: unhappy and depressed (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 557 (40.5) | 1268 (46.1) | <0.01 (00.01 to 0.25) |
| Same as usual | 483 (42.4) | 1080 (39.3) | |
| Less than usual | 195 (14.2) | 314 (11.4) | |
| Much less than usual | 40 (2.9) | 72 (2.6) | |
| GHQ-12: losing confidence in self (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 660 (48.0) | 1400 (50.9) | <0.01 (0.04 to 0.20) |
| Same as usual | 543 (39.5) | 1034 (37.6) | |
| Less than usual | 140 (10.2) | 245 (8.9) | |
| Much less than usual | 32 (2.3) | 54 (2.0) | |
| GHQ-12: perceived worth (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 987 (71.8) | 1982 (72.1) | 0.14 (−0.02 to 0.16) |
| Same as usual | 309 (22.5) | 601 (21.9) | |
| Less than usual | 63 (4.6) | 113 (4.1) | |
| Much less than usual | 16 (1.2) | 37 (1.4) | |
| GHQ-12: perceived happiness (n; %) | |||
| Better than usual | 127 (9.2) | 261 (9.5) | 0.01 (0.04 to 0.29) |
| Same as usual | 1122 (81.6) | 2270 (82.6) | |
| Less than usual | 105 (7.6) | 166 (6.0) | |
| Much less than usual | 21 (1.5) | 36 (1.3) | |