title: Associations between informal care, disease, and risk factors: A Spanish country-wide population-based study.
abstract: This population-based study using 2011-2012 Spanish National Health Survey data aimed to measure the impact of disease, health-related habits, and risk factors associated with informal caregiving. We included and matched self-reported informal caregivers [ICs] with controls (1:4) from the same survey. For each outcome, we analyzed associations between ICs and controls using linear regression or logistic regression models. ICs had 3.4 per cent more depression (OR: 1.33, 95 per cent confidence intervals [CI]:1.06, 1.68). ICs had lower social support (95 per cent CI: 1.64, 3.28), they did more housework alone (OR:3.6, 95 per cent CI:2.65, 4.89), and had greater stress (95 per cent CI:0.13, 0.83). Women ICs caring alone had more anxiety than other groups. We found no statistical association between caregivers and worse health-related habits or increased risk factors (less physical activity, smoking, drinking, and cholesterol). Our results provide evidence that health-care professionals and organizations should recognize the importance of caring for those who care.
authors: Facultat de Medicina i Ciencies de la Salut, Public Health Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C. Doctor Trueta S/N, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona 08195, Spain.|Centre d'Atenció Primària Les Corts. Transverse Group for Research in Primary Care, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Luís
authors: L
authors: González-de Paz
authors: Facultat de Medicina i Ciencies de la Salut, Public Health Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C. Doctor Trueta S/N, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona 08195, Spain.|Institut d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol). USR-Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Real
authors: Facultat de Medicina i Ciencies de la Salut, Public Health Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C. Doctor Trueta S/N, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona 08195, Spain.|Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain.|Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Alicia
authors: A
authors: Borrás-Santos
authors: Biostatistics Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès Barcelona, Spain.|Tobacco Control Unit, Cancer Prevention and Control Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology-ICO, Hospitalet de Llobregat Barcelona, Spain.|Cancer Control and Prevention Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat Barcelona, Spain.
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: Martínez-Sánchez
authors: Centre d'Atenció Primària Les Corts. Transverse Group for Research in Primary Care, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Rodrigo-Baños
authors: Facultat de Medicina i Ciencies de la Salut, Public Health Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C. Doctor Trueta S/N, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona 08195, Spain.|Albert Jovell Institute for Public Health and Patients. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès Barcelona, Spain.|Spanish Patient's Forum, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Dolores Navarro-Rubio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013030:Spain; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult