[Physical and mental health characteristics of female caregivers]

In Japan, research into physical conditions or illnesses of female caregivers focusing on biological markers in biological materials such as blood and urine has been limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to clarify the physical and mental characteristics of female caregivers in comparison with the general population, using biological markers and self-answered questionnaires.

The subjects were 161 female in-home primary caregivers for persons requiring care at level 3 or more or less than 3 if suffering from dementia (caregiver group). The control group consisted of females matched 1 : 1 in the same decade of life who received medical checkups in K city. The survey period was from December 2005 to April 2007. The methods were self-answered questionnaires, including lifestyle, caregiving conditions, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and frequency of taking food, and common parameters for lifestyle diseases using blood and urine and blood pressure, taken by trained investigators at the subjects homes.

Average age was 62.8 +/- 11.9 years in the caregiver group and 63.2 +/- 12.4 years in the control group. 46.0% had 5 or more years experience in caregiving and 8.7% had less than 1 year. The required care level most common was 5 at 33.8%, with levels 3 and 4 the next most common. 46.0% of the caregiver group had hypertension, significantly higher than the 34.2% in the control group. The prevalence of glucose intolerance and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia was also high in the caregiver group, but without significant difference. The caregiver group had lower HDL-cholesterol values than the control group. In lifestyle, the two groups differed in exercise, PSQI, proportion of energy from carbohydrates and estimated 24-hour excretion of sodium (Na) in urine. In particular, it was clear that Na was undesirable for caregiver,s even using urine samples for examination. Although more in the caregiver group described themselves as unhealthy, fewer of them received annual health checkups than in the control group. More in the caregiver group felt stress about their health or aging or depression, with few opportunities for diversion.

Hypertension, the most important risk factor for brain and cardiovascular disease, is significantly high in caregivers, suggesting the need for preventive measures. Similar findigns were also obtained with other biological markers and more in the caregiver group felt stress about their health or aging or depression, pointing to a nee for health support.