title: Depression and quality of informal care: a longitudinal investigation of caregiving stressors.
abstract: This research examined longitudinal associations between caregiving stressors, caregiver depression, and quality of care. Informal caregivers of elderly care recipients were interviewed at baseline (N = 310) and again one year later (N = 213). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that increases in caregiving stressors (i.e., caregiver physical health symptoms, caregiver activity restriction, and care recipient controlling and manipulative behavior) were related to increased caregiver depression. In turn, increased caregiver depression and decreased caregiver respectful behavior predicted increases in potentially harmful behavior. These results extend previous cross-sectional findings and indicate that changes in caregiving stressors, caregiver depression, and caregiver respect over time may signal that intervention is warranted in order to forestall or prevent poor quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: G Rush
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Gail M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: L Stephen
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology