Journal of Aging Research / 2020 / Article / Tab 2 / Research Article
High Burden among Older Family Caregivers is Associated with High Prevalence of Symptoms: Data from the Swedish Study “Good Aging in Skåne (GÅS)” Table 2 Prevalence of symptoms n (%) comparing noncaregivers and caregivers, as well as stratified for high-burden caregivers and caregivers reporting low burden.
Symptoms, n (%) Caregivers 560 (10.3%) Noncaregivers 4897 (89.7%) High-burden caregivers 88 (17.6%) Low-burden caregivers 411 (82.4%) Depressive symptoms Feeling exerted 172 (31.3) 912 (19.2) <0.001 51 (59.3) 106 (26.3) <0.001 Sleeping problems 228 (41.6) 2060 (43.4) 0.420 52 (59.3) 154 (38.3) <0.001 General fatigue 366 (66.8) 3142 (66.1) 0.764 68 (79.1) 268 (66.7) 0.024 Depressive mood 200 (36.4) 1615 (34.0) 0.253 49 (57.0) 138 (34.2) <0.001 Tearfulness 179 (32.6) 1558 (32.8) 0.945 36 (41.9) 127 (31.5) 0.065 Musculoskeletal symptoms Joint pains 262 (47.7) 2389 (50.3) 0.262 42 (48.8) 193 (47.9) 0.873 Back ache 284 (51.7) 2486 (52.3) 0.799 53 (61.6) 201 (49.9) 0.048 Leg pains 239 (46.1) 2324 (50.2) 0.098 47 (54.7) 180 (45.3) 0.117 Difficulty walking 125 (24.1) 1500 (32.3) <0.001 34 (39.5) 85 (21.4) <0.001 Gastrourinary symptoms Appetite loss 42 (7.7) 512 (10.8) 0.024 12 (14.0) 23 (5.7) 0.007 Nausea 53 (9.7) 479 (10.1) 0.753 13 (15.1) 32 (7.9) 0.037 Diarrhoea 65 (11.8) 550 (11.6) 0.850 13 (15.1) 44 (10.9) 0.271 Constipation 63 (11.5) 756 (15.9) 0.007 19 (22.4) 41 (10.2) 0.002 Abdominal pain 111 (20.3) 994 (20.9) 0.718 24 (27.9) 74 (18.4) 0.046 Difficulty urinate 56 (10.2) 471 (9.9) 0.819 13 (15.1) 40 (10.0) 0.162 Incontinence-urine 97 (18.7) 983 (21.1) 0.202 25 (29.1) 66 (16.6) 0.007 Incontinence-stool 32 (6.2) 267 (5.7) 0.682 13 (15.1) 16 (4.0) <0.001 Symptoms related to head Headaches 153 (29.6) 1232 (25.9) 0.132 34 (39.5) 106 (26.8) 0.018 Dizziness 134 (25.9) 1267 (27.3) 0.498 26 (30.2) 97 (24.4) 0.263 Auditory problems 172 (33.2) 1614 (35.1) 0.488 32 (37.2) 128 (32.2) 0.375 Eye problems 155 (30.0) 1560 (33.6) 0.101 32 (37.6) 117 (30.1) 0.139 Cardiopulmonary symptoms Chest pains 91 (16.6) 742 (15.6) 0.514 20 (23.3) 63 (16.3) 0.089 Breathlessness 157 (30.3) 1528 (32.9) 0.239 32 (37.2) 117 (29.7) 0.159 Cough 153 (27.9) 1330 (28.0) 0.960 30 (34.9) 107 (26.6) 0.118 Symptoms related to tension Irritability 295 (53.7) 2240 (47.1) 0.003 61 (70.9) 207 (51.4) 0.001 Nervousness 182 (33.2) 1508 (31.7) 0.502 43 (50.0) 124 (30.8) 0.001 Trouble concentrating 205 (37.3) 1775 (37.3) 0.998 50 (58.1) 146 (36.2) <0.001 Difficulty relaxing 236 (43.0) 1904 (40.1) 0.190 60 (69.8) 155 (38.5) <0.001 Restlessness 180 (32.8) 1502 (31.6) 0.578 44 (51.2) 115 (28.5) <0.001 Metabolic symptoms Weight loss 30 (5.5) 339 (7.1) 0.145 9 (10.5) 17 (4.2) 0.019 Overweight 247 (45.0) 1904 (40.0) 0.025 45 (52.3) 182 (45.2) 0.227 Feeling frozen 117 (22.6) 1234 (26.5) 0.054 30 (34.9) 80 (20.2) 0.003 Sweats 148 (28.6) 1249 (26.2) 0.409 26 (30.2) 110 (27.7) 0.637 No. of symptoms md (q 1, q 3) 9.0 (4.0–14.0) 9.0 (5.0–14.0) 0.806 13.0 (9.0–17.2) 8.0 (4.0–13.0) <0.001