Psychosocial health of family caregivers and professionals: Association with sociodemographic and psychological factors

Abstract

Currently, the care of dependent people is provided mainly by women in the family context. This activity may involve a negative impact on health. Therefore, we decided to assess the health of family caregivers, professional caregivers and non-caregivers, the association between sociodemographic variables and health, and the correlation between dysfunctional thoughts about care and health. Participants were 204 women attending psychoeducational workshops in Seville and province (Spain), and GHQ28 (General Health Questionnaire) and CPD(Care Dysfunctional Thoughts) were applied. The results showed that being familiar caregiver has negative effects on health, especially anxiety, that the higher education level is associated with better health, and that, in general, there is slight correlation between dysfunctional thoughts and health, being non-existent in caregivers. Therefore, dysfunctional thoughts are not always associated to pathological effects. Finally, some sociocultural considerations in order to discuss care practices and possible therapeutic involvements of the study are showed.