Health status of people who have provided informal care or support to an adult with chronic disease in the last 5 years: Results from a population-based cross-sectional survey in South Australia

Luckett, T; Agar, M; DiGiacomo, M; Ferguson, C; Lam, L; Phillips, J

Health status of people who have provided informal care or support to an adult with chronic disease in the last 5 years: Results from a population-based cross-sectional survey in South Australia

Luckett, T

Agar, M

DiGiacomo, M

Ferguson, C

Lam, L

Phillips, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Health Review, 2019, 43 (4), pp. 408 - 414
Issue Date:: 2019-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Luckett, T https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6121-5409	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Agar, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6756-6119	en_US
dc.contributor.author	DiGiacomo, M https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-8224	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Ferguson, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2417-2216	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lam, L https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6183-6854	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Phillips, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3691-8230	en_US
dc.date.available	2018-03-01	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Health Review, 2019, 43 (4), pp. 408 - 414	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0156-5788	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/125404
dc.description.abstract	© AHHA 2019. Objective. The aim of the present study was to compare the health status of South Australians with recent experience of caring for an adult with chronic disease with non-carers drawn from the same population. Methods. Data were collected via the South Australian Health Omnibus, an annual population-based, cross-sectional survey. Respondents were asked whether they had provided care or support in the last 5 years to someone with cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, mental illness, neurological disease or dementia. Health status was measured using the Short Form-12 version 1 (SF-12) physical and mental component scale summary scores (PCS and MCS respectively), with poor health status defined as ≥0.5 standard deviation below the normative mean. Logistic regression explored characteristics associated with poor health status. Results. Of 3033 respondents analysed, 987 (32.5%) reported caring experience. Poor PCS andMCSwere associated with carer status, lower-than-degree-level education, employment status other than employed and annual household income less than A$60 000. Being Australian born was a protective factor for PCS, whereas factors protective for MCS were being married or in a de facto relationship and age ≥65 years. Conclusions. Providing care or support in the last 5 years is independently associated with poorer health status, but not with the magnitude found in studies of current carers. Future research should explore health status recovery after completion of the caring role, and investigate whether relationships between health and socioeconomic status differ for carers versus non-carers.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Health Review	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1071/AH17289	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Health Policy & Services	en_US
dc.title	Health status of people who have provided informal care or support to an adult with chronic disease in the last 5 years: Results from a population-based cross-sectional survey in South Australia	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	43	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1605 Policy and Administration	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	43	en_US

Abstract:

© AHHA 2019. Objective. The aim of the present study was to compare the health status of South Australians with recent experience of caring for an adult with chronic disease with non-carers drawn from the same population. Methods. Data were collected via the South Australian Health Omnibus, an annual population-based, cross-sectional survey. Respondents were asked whether they had provided care or support in the last 5 years to someone with cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, mental illness, neurological disease or dementia. Health status was measured using the Short Form-12 version 1 (SF-12) physical and mental component scale summary scores (PCS and MCS respectively), with poor health status defined as ≥0.5 standard deviation below the normative mean. Logistic regression explored characteristics associated with poor health status. Results. Of 3033 respondents analysed, 987 (32.5%) reported caring experience. Poor PCS andMCSwere associated with carer status, lower-than-degree-level education, employment status other than employed and annual household income less than A$60 000. Being Australian born was a protective factor for PCS, whereas factors protective for MCS were being married or in a de facto relationship and age ≥65 years. Conclusions. Providing care or support in the last 5 years is independently associated with poorer health status, but not with the magnitude found in studies of current carers. Future research should explore health status recovery after completion of the caring role, and investigate whether relationships between health and socioeconomic status differ for carers versus non-carers.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/125404