 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Aubrey Spriggs, MA and Maryam Navaie-Waliser, DrPH. Center for Home Care Policy and Research, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, 5 Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 212-290-4882, aspriggs@vnsny.org
Introduction: This study examined perception disparities between informal caregivers and care recipients, perception changes over time, and caregivers’ and care recipients’ attributes associated with high perception disparity levels. Methods: Data were gathered from a matched sample of 111 home health care recipients and their primary informal caregivers through home and telephone interviews at entry into and discharge from home care. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Caregivers were more likely than care recipients to report that formal therapeutic and aide services were insufficient and care instructions inadequate. Caregivers also were more likely than care recipients to perceive providing a broader array and intensity of care. At entry into care, being overwhelmed with caregiving was the most significant predictor of high disparity in perceptions of ADL/IADL care provision. Poor physical and good emotional health among caregivers were associated with greater disparity in perceptions of complex care provision. Absence of secondary informal caregivers and lower caregiver strain were predictive of high disparity in perceptions of emotional care provision. At discharge, significant predictors of high disparity in perceptions of ADL/IADL care provision were female gender, absence of depression, high stress among care recipients, and >22 hours/week of informal care. Poor physical health among caregivers was associated with high disparities in perceptions of complex and emotional care provision. Conclusions: Caregivers’ and care recipients’ physical and mental health attributes were important contributors to disparities in perceptions over time. These disparities have the potential to impact caregiver and care recipient relations, burden and health outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Caregivers, Home Care
Related Web page: www.vnsny.org/research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Visiting Nurse Service of New York
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employer