Stress in Physiological Measurements of Elderly Women Providing Care in the Home

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify physical and mental stressors of caregivers with high levels of stress-related substances in the urine of elderly women home caregivers The subjects were taken from among 60 elderly women home caregivers for a person with a care need level of ≥3, or a person with dementia with a care need level of ＜ 3. The noradrenaline/creatinine ratio in spot urine was used to test stress. Groups with values were below and above the median (0.199 μg/mg) (low and high groups) were compared. The investigated variables were age and other caregiver attributes, summary of care recipient, and objective health status.

The mean age and standard deviation was 72.0±5.7 years. Age, eGFR, and presence/absence of care stress were selected from the results of logistic regression analysis including eGFR. After adjustment, these odds ratios were in the order 1.2 (95%CI 1.1-1.4), 1.1 (0.996-1.1), 4.7 (1.3-16.9).

The results of this study show that older age and care stress are stressors of elderly women caregivers with high levels of stress-related hormones in their urine. Caregivers are thought to need support.