title: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Caregiver Dependence among Older Adults in a Southeast Asian Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently very little is known about the prevalence or magnitude of caregiver dependence in Singapore and thus, there is a need to fill this gap in this multiethnic ageing population. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors of caregiver dependence among older adults in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were used from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey among Singapore residents aged 60 years and above. Caregiver dependence was ascertained by asking the informant (the person who knows the older person best) a series of open-ended questions about the older person's care needs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The older adult sample comprised 57.1% females and the majority were aged 60 to 74 years (74.8%), while 19.5% were 75 to 84 years, and 5.7% were 85 years and above. The prevalence of caregiver dependence was 17.2% among older adults. Significant sociodemographic risk factors of caregiver dependence included older age (75 to 84 years, and 85 years and above,P<0.001), Malay and Indian ethnicity (P<0.001), those who have never been married (P= 0.048) or have no education (P= 0.035), as well as being homemakers or retired (P<0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables and all health conditions in multiple logistic regression analyses, dementia (P<0.001), depression (P= 0.011), stroke (P= 0.002), eyesight problems (P= 0.003), persistent cough (P= 0.016), paralysis (P<0.001), asthma (P= 0.016) and cancer (P= 0.026) were significantly associated with caregiver dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Various sociodemographic and health-related conditions were significantly associated with caregiver dependence. Dependent older adults will put greater demands on health and social services, resulting in greater healthcare expenditures. Hence, effective planning, services and support are crucial to meet the needs of dependent older adults and their caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Picco
authors.forename: Edimansyah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdin
authors.forename: Janhavi A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vaingankar
authors.forename: Shirlene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Saleha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafie
authors.forename: Rajeswari
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sambasivam
authors.forename: Siow Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Mythily
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017028:Caregivers; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010243:Paralysis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012179:Retirement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*