TitleAssociation between informal caregiving and cellular aging in the survey of the health of wisconsin: the role of caregiving characteristics, stress, and strain.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsLitzelman, K, Witt, WP, Gangnon, RE, F. Nieto, J, Engelman, CD, Mailick, MR, Skinner, HG
JournalAm J Epidemiol
Volume179
Issue11
Pagination1340-52
Date Published06/2014
ISSN1476-6256
KeywordsAdult, Aged, Caregivers, Case-Control Studies, Cell Aging, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Statistical, Multivariate Analysis, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Telomere Shortening, Wisconsin
Abstract

The pathophysiological consequences of caregiving have not been fully elucidated. We evaluated how caregiving, stress, and caregiver strain were associated with shorter relative telomere length (RTL), a marker of cellular aging. Caregivers (n = 240) and some noncaregivers (n = 98) in the 2008-2010 Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, comprising a representative sample of Wisconsin adults aged 21-74 years, reported their sociodemographic, health, and psychological characteristics. RTL was assayed from blood or saliva samples. Median T and S values were used to determine the telomere-to-single copy gene ratio (T/S) for each sample, and log(T/S) was used as the dependent variable in analyses. Multivariable generalized additive models showed that RTL did not differ between caregivers and noncaregivers (difference in log(T/S) = -0.03; P > 0.05), but moderate-to-high levels of stress versus low stress were associated with longer RTL (difference = 0.15; P = 0.04). Among caregivers, more hours per week of care, caring for a young person, and greater strain were associated with shorter RTL (P < 0.05). Caregivers with discordant levels of stress and strain (i.e., low perceived stress/high strain) compared with low stress/low strain had the shortest RTL (difference = -0.24; P = 0.02, Pinteraction = 0.13), corresponding to approximately 10-15 additional years of aging. Caregivers with these characteristics may be at increased risk for accelerated aging. Future work is necessary to better elucidate these relationships and develop interventions to improve the long-term health and well-being of caregivers.

DOI10.1093/aje/kwu066
Alternate JournalAm. J. Epidemiol.
PubMed ID24780842
PubMed Central IDPMC4036217
Grant ListR01 CA132718 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000427 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
F31 AG044073 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
5UL 1RR025011 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States
RC2 HL101468 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
UL1 RR025011 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States
R0-1 CA132718 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
1 RC2 HL101468 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
P2C HD047873 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
F31 AG 044073 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States