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Becoming an older caregiver: A study of gender differences in family caregiving at the end of life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2021

Roberta Spatuzzi Open the ORCID record for Roberta Spatuzzi [Opens in a new window] ,
Maria Velia Giulietti ,
Francesca Romito ,
Giorgio Reggiardo ,
Carmela Genovese ,
Michele Passarella ,
Letizia Raucci ,
Marcello Ricciuti ,
Fabiana Merico  and
Gerardo Rosati
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Roberta Spatuzzi*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, UOSD CSM Vulture-Melfese, ASP Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
Maria Velia Giulietti
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, Ancona, Italy
Francesca Romito
Affiliation:
Unit of Psycho-Oncology, National Cancer Research Center Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II Bari, Bari, Italy Grumo Appula Hospice – ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
Giorgio Reggiardo
Affiliation:
Biostatistics and Data Management Unit, Medi Service S.r.l., Genova, Italy
Carmela Genovese
Affiliation:
Cystic Fibrosis Italian League, Potenza, Italy
Michele Passarella
Affiliation:
Fondazione ANT Italia ONLUS, Potenza, Italy
Letizia Raucci
Affiliation:
Palliative Care Unit, “San Carlo” Hospital, Potenza, Italy
Marcello Ricciuti
Affiliation:
Palliative Care Unit, “San Carlo” Hospital, Potenza, Italy
Fabiana Merico
Affiliation:
Palliative Care Center Hospice “Casa di Betania”, Tricase (Lecce), Italy
Gerardo Rosati
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology, “San Carlo” Hospital, Potenza, Italy
Luigi Attademo
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Hospital Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Care at “San Carlo” Hospital, ASP Basilicata, Italian NHS, Potenza, Italy
Anna Vespa
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, Ancona, Italy
*
Address correspondence: Roberta Spatuzzi, Department of Mental Health, UOSD CSM Vulture-Melfese, ASP Basilicata, Potenza, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives

Older people are not traditionally expected to become caregivers. For this reason, the experience of caregiving in older persons has not been explored adequately in the research on gender differences. The objective of this study was to assess the caregiver burden among older family members who care for cancer patients facing the end of their lives, in order to compare their differences according to gender (male vs. female).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 102 older caregivers (aged ≥65 years) of hospice patients were interviewed through the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). The sample group was divided into two gender subgroups.

Results

Compared with male caregivers, the older female group reported significantly higher scores in the CBI–physical subscale (P = 0.028), and in the CBI, the overall score (P = 0.0399) confirmed by the generalized linear model (multivariate) evaluation that included possible predictors in the model. There were no significant differences in the other CBI subscale scores (time-dependent, developmental, social, and emotional).

Significance of results

Older female caregivers are at higher risk of experiencing burden and worse physical health compared with men. Further research is needed in modern palliative care to assess the role of gender differences in the experience of caregiving when the caregiver is an older person.

Keywords

BurdenCancerGenderOlder caregiver
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , February 2022 , pp. 38 - 44
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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