Daily Study of Caregiving Relationships and Health

NCT ID: NCT04682535

Last Updated: 2022-09-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 37 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-09-01
• Study Completion Date: 2022-09-01

Brief Summary

The purpose of the Daily Study of Caregiving Relationships and Health is to learn how caregiving relationships and social connectedness are associated with dementia caregivers' health, health behaviors, and diurnal patterns of salivary cortisol.

This is a pilot study wherein the purpose is to test the feasibility and acceptability of study protocols.

Detailed Description

The purpose of the Daily Study of Caregiving Relationships and Health is to learn how caregiving relationships and social connectedness are associated with dementia caregivers' health, health behaviors, and diurnal patterns of salivary cortisol. Investigators are asking caregivers to complete 14-days of surveys which ask about their relationships and health behaviors, in addition to 2 longer surveys (baseline and 3-month follow up). Investigators hypothesize that on days when caregivers receive more emotional support, they will report better health behaviors (e.g., improved sleep quality). On days when caregivers experience greater 1) strain and 2) loneliness, they will report poorer health behaviors. Information about which aspects of social relationships and social connectedness most affect health will be used to inform interventions programs.

Conditions

Caregiver Burnout; Dementia; Dementia of Alzheimer Type; Relations, Family; Social Stress; Relation, Interpersonal; Loneliness

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Cohort 1

Spousal/partner family caregivers to persons living with dementia. Participants will complete 14-days of surveys about their relationships, social interactions, as well as health and health behaviors. A subsample of n=15 may volunteer to provide diurnal saliva samples.

Social relationships

Intervention Type: OTHER

Exposure to social interactions with spouse, friends, and family. Perceived loneliness, emotional strain, and emotional support.

Interventions

Social relationships

Exposure to social interactions with spouse, friends, and family. Perceived loneliness, emotional strain, and emotional support.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Spouse or partner to an individual living with ADRD who has received a diagnosis from a physician
• Aged 18 years or older Provides assistance with at least one instrumental activities of daily living or activities of daily living
• Not paid to provide care
• Cares for someone with a global deterioration score of 1 to 5 (early to mid-stage dementia)
• Has reliable access to email and text messaging, and smart phone device
• Live within 40 miles of UT Health San Antonio (if completing saliva collection protocol)

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to read and speak English or Spanish
• Vision or hearing impairment affecting ability to complete study protocols (e.g., blindness)

• Experiencing a major health event within the previous 6 months (e.g., stroke, myocardial infarction, in-patient surgery, cancer besides skin cancer)
• Symptoms of infectious disease within the previous 14-days (e.g., COVID-19, oral infection)
• Diagnosis of major depressive disorder
• HPA axis endocrine disorder (e.g., Cushings or Addison's disease)
• Use of corticosteroid medication
• Pregnancy
• Participation in overnight shift work

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

UT Health San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

HSC20200421H

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id