title: Physical and mental health among caregivers: findings from a cross-sectional study of Open University students in Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caregivers constitute an important informal workforce, often undervalued, facing challenges to maintain their caring role, health and wellbeing. Little is known about caregivers in middle-income countries like Thailand. This study investigates the physical and mental health of Thai adult caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report derives from distance-learning students working and residing throughout Thailand and recruited for a health-risk transition study in 2005 (N=87,134) from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. The cohort follow-up questionnaire in 2009 (N = 60,569) includes questions on caregiver status which were not available in 2005; accordingly, this study is confined to analysis of the 2009 data. We report cross-sectional associations between caregiver status and health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the study participants in 2009, 27.5% reported being part-time caregivers and 6.6% reported being full-time caregivers. Compared to male non-caregivers, being a part-time or full-time male caregiver was associated with lower back pain (covariate-Adjusted Odds Ratios, AOR 1.36 and 1.67), with poor psychological health (AOR 1.16 and 1.68), but not with poor self-assessed health. Compared to female non-caregivers, being a part- or full-time female caregiver was associated with lower back pain (AOR 1.47 and 1.84), psychological distress (AOR 1.32 and 1.52), and poor self-assessed health (AOR 1.21 and 1.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adult caregivers in Thailand experienced a consistent adverse physical and mental health burden. A dose-response effect was evident, with odds ratios higher for full-time caregivers than for part-time, and non-caregivers. Our findings should raise awareness of caregivers, their unmet needs, and support required in Thailand and other similar middle-income countries.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Rd, Acton 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia. vasoontara.yieng@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Vasoontara
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yiengprugsawan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.forename: Sam-Ang
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Seubsman
authors.forename: Adrian C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sleigh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013785:Thailand