Health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia and their relationships with stress, caregiving experiences, and social networks: longitudinal findings from the IDEAL programme

Objectives: Evidence documenting health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia is scarce. This study explores 1) type and number of health conditions among caregivers of people with dementia and subgroups based on age, sex, and education; 2) whether number of health conditions changed over two years; and 3) whether over time the number of health conditions was associated with stress, positive experiences of caring, and social networks. Methods: Longitudinal data from the IDEAL (Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life) cohort were used. Participants comprised spousal caregivers (n= 977) of people with dementia taking part in IDEAL. Caregivers self-reported health conditions using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Stress, positive experiences of caregiving, and social network were assessed over two years. Mixed effect models were used. Results: On average participants had 1.5 health conditions at baseline; increasing to 2.1 conditions over two years. At baseline, caregivers aged <70 years were likely to have fewer health conditions than those aged 70-74 years. Those with a university education had fewer health conditions than those without educational qualifications. More health conditions were associated with greater stress at baseline but not with stress over time. Health conditions were not associated with sex, positive experiences of caregiving, or social network at any timepoint. Discussion: For caregivers taking part in IDEAL caregiving was slightly more stressful for those in poorer health compared to those in better health. Findings highlight the importance of acknowledging that most caregivers have their own health problems which require management.