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. 2022 Oct 25;17:1549–1567. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S384202

Table 5.

Univariable Associations Between Older Carers’ Quality of Life (DC-QoL-OC Scores) and Characteristics of Older Carers, Carer Role, Information and Support Service/Activity Used to Maintain Carer Role and/or Manage Personal Physical and Mental Health

Characteristics of Older Carers, Carer Role, Service and Activity Used to Maintain Carer Role and/or Manage Personal Health (Independent Variable) Older Carers (n=189) n with DC-QoL-OC Data DC-QoL-OC Scores Mean (SD) Associations Between DC-QoL-OC Scores (Dependent Variable) and Independent Variable Coefficient (95% CI) p value*
Age n (%) 0.37 (0.09, 0.65)

  • 50–59

 29 (18.6) 156 60.0 (19.6) p=0.01*

  • 60–69

 60 (38.5) 60.9 (12.3)

  • 70–79

 50 (32.1) 60.2 (17.5)

  • 80–89

 16 (10.3) 72.9 (17.3)

  • 90 and over

 1 (0.6) 98.0 (n/a)
Gender n (%) 4.30 (−3.38, 11.98)

  • Female

 135 (86.5) 156 62.6 (16.9) p=0.27

  • Male

 21 (13.5) 58.3 (14.5)
Highest level of educationa n (%) −1.18 (−4.31, 1.96)

  • Primary school

 2 (1.3) 156 91.0 (17.0) p=0.46

  • High school

 37 (23.7) 60.7 (18.6)

  • Trade/Diploma

 47 (30.1) 63.1 (16.1)

  • University and over

 70 (44.9) 61.1 (15.3)
Speak English at home n (%) −1.57 (−25.03, 21.90)

  • Yes

 153 (98.7) 155 61.9 (16.7) p=0.90

  • No

 2 (1.3) 63.5 (9.2)
Country of birth n (%) −0.79 (−7.03, 5.46)

  • Australia

 120 (76.9) 156 61.8 (16.8) p=0.80

  • Outside of Australia

 36 (23.1) 62.6 (16.2)
Living with the care recipient n (%) −8.01 (−13.80, −2.21)

  • Yes

 114 (73.1) 156 59.9 (16.3) p=0.01*

  • No

 42 (26.9) 67.9 (16.2)
Care recipient’s age n (%) 0.31 (0.01, 0.62)

  • 65–74

 34 (21.9) 155 59.2 (18.1) p=0.04*

  • 75–84

 63 (40.6) 58.8 (14.9)

  • 85 and over

 58 (37.4) 66.4 (15.9)
Care recipient’s gender n (%) −3.07 (−8.37, 2.22)

  • Female

 67 (42.9) 156 60.3 (16.0) p=0.25

  • Male

 89 (57.1) 63.3 (17.0)
Caring for care recipient who had: Dementia n (%) −3.41 (−8.73, 1.90)p=0.21

  • Yes

 65 (41.7) 156 60.0 (16.6)

  • No

 91 (58.3) 63.4 (16.5)
Parkinson n (%) −4.40 (−12.61, 3.81)

  • Yes

 18 (11.5) 156 58.1 (15.3) p=0.29

  • No

 138 (88.5) 62.5 (16.7)
Heart problems n (%) 0.29 (−5.16, 5.74)

  • Yes

 58 (37.2) 156 62.2 (17.2) p=0.92

  • No

 98 (62.8) 61.9 (16.3)
Respiratory problems n (%) 3.82 (−2.23, 9.87)

  • Yes

 39 (25.0) 156 64.9 (19.4) p=0.21

  • No

 117 (75.0) 61.1 (15.5)
Arthritis and related disorders n (%) −3.36 (−8.77, 2.04)

  • Yes

 59 (37.8) 156 59.9 (18.1) p=0.22

  • No

 97 (62.2) 63.3 (15.5)
Back or spinal problems n (%) −1.79 (−7.46, 3.87)

  • Yes

 49 (31.4) 156 60.8 (15.7) p=0.53

  • No

 107 (68.6) 62.6 (17)
Depression or anxiety n (%) −11.37 (−16.71, −6.02)

  • Yes

 50 (32.1) 156 54.3 (14.1) p<0.01*

  • No

 106 (67.9) 65.7 (16.5)
Renal failure n (%) −3.04 (−13.31, 7.23)

  • Yes

 11 (7.1) 156 59.2 (13.9) p=0.56

  • No

 145 (92.9) 62.2 (16.8)
Stroke n (%) −4.25 (−12.10, 3.59)

  • Yes

 20 (12.8) 156 58.3 (14.4) p=0.29

  • No

 136 (87.2) 62.6 (16.9)
Years of caring rolea n (%) −1.86 (−3.97, 0.26)

  • Less than 12 months

 2 (1.3) 156 54.0 (1.4) p=0.09

  • 1–2 years

 22 (14.1) 67.3 (18.6)

  • 3–4 years

 39 (25.0) 63.2 (15.6)

  • 5–9 years

 50 (32.1) 60.4 (15.0)

  • 10–19 years

 25 (16.0) 64.9 (19.6)

  • 20+years

 18 (11.5) 54.2 (14.7)
Help received from others in day to day caring role n (%) 3.0 (−2.27, 8.28)p=0.26

  • Yes

 76 (49.0) 155 63.5 (17.1)

  • No

 79 (51.0) 60.5 (16.1)
Care hours per daya n (%) −3.83 (−6.20, −1.46)

  • Less than 3 hours

 37 (23.7) 156 70.8 (13.6) p<0.01*

  • 3–6 hours

 45 (28.8) 60.9 (16.6)

  • 6–12 hours

 40 (25.6) 57.2 (15.6)

  • More than 12 hours

 34 (21.8) 59.5 (17.6)
Care days per weeka n (%) −5.76 (−9.29, −2.23)

  • 1 day

 5 (3.2) 156 76 (14.7) p<0.01*

  • 2–3 days

 9 (5.8) 66.2 (10.7)

  • 4–5 days

 15 (9.6) 74.1 (16.1)

  • 6–7 days

 137 (87.8) 59.7 (16.2)
Rating of care recipient healtha n (%) −2.86 (−5.67, −0.04)

  • Very good

 5 (3.2) 156 57.2 (26.6) p=0.047*

  • Good

 25 (16.0) 61.8 (17.3)

  • Average

 47 (30.1) 69.5 (15.7)

  • Poor

 70 (44.9) 58.9 (14.6)

  • Very poor

 9 (5.8) 49.9 (15.2)
Rating of personal healtha n (%) −3.32 (−6.10, −0.53)

  • Very good

 26 (16.7) 156 64.3 (15.7) p=0.02*

  • Good

 60 (38.5) 63.7 (15.7)

  • Average

 50 (32.1) 63.5 (16.2)

  • Poor

 16 (10.3) 49 (17.8)

  • Very poor

 2 (1.3) 56.0 (1.4)
Importance placed on ensuring health and wellbeing of their care recipientb n (%) −0.03 (−3.23, 3.18)p=0.99

  • 5

 1 (0.7) 153 46.0 (n/a)

  • 7

 3 (2.0) 53.3 (8.6)

  • 8

 15 (9.8) 66.4 (21.4)

  • 9

 18 (11.8) 63.4 (12.7)

  • 10

 116 (75.8) 61.5 (16.6)
Importance placed on ensuring own health and wellbeingb n (%) 1.45 (0.31, 2.59)p=0.01*

  • 1

 1 (0.6) 155 44.0 (n/a)

  • 2

 2 (1.3) 58.0 (1.4)

  • 3

 5 (3.2) 51 (17.7)

  • 4

 5 (3.2) 51.4 (19.4)

  • 5

 15 (9.7) 52.9 (14.6)

  • 6

 9 (5.8) 59.7 (11.6)

  • 7

 20 (12.9) 67.3 (19.0)

  • 8

 13 (8.4) 66.8 (13.9)

  • 9

 21 (13.5) 64.6 (14.6)

  • 10

 64 (41.3) 62.7 (16.9)
General practitioner provided assistance or advice or referrals to help with caring role n (%) 1.53 (−4.06, 7.11)p=0.60

  • Yes

 61 (47.3) 129 60.4 (15.8)

  • No

 68 (52.7) 58.9 (16.2)
Specialist clinic provided assistance with caring role n (%) 9.47 (0.57, 18.36)p=0.04*

  • Yes

 18 (19.8) 91 69.2 (19.1)

  • No

 73 (80.2) 59.8 (16.5)
Accessed information from any organisation to help in your caring role n (%) −6.98 (−12.85, −1.11)p=0.02*

  • Yes

 114 (73.5) 155 60.0 (17.0)

  • No

 41 (26.5) 67.0 (14.3)

Notes: aMulti-categorical ordinal data were treated as interval data assuming a linear relation with the outcome. b11-point visual analogue scale (0–10) where 0=no importance, 10=as much as is necessary. *Statistical significance at p<0.05