Caregivers with heart disease face high psychological distress risks

Caregivers who reported more disrupted sleep, low energy, reduced leg strength, longer caregiving hours, and more negative emotions reported greater caregiving burden.
Those with trouble falling back asleep, breathing problems, and more negative emotions reported greater psychological distress.
Caregivers' own health and well-being appeared more closely tied to burden and distress than the health conditions of the person they were caring for.
Caregiver burden itself was associated with psychological distress. The authors suggest that the sustained strain of caregiving may be one pathway contributing to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Unexpectedly, more reported support for the caregiver was associated with greater distress. The researchers caution that this does not mean support causes distress, but suggest that caregivers facing more difficult situations may simply be more likely to seek or receive help.
Younger caregivers and women reported greater caregiving burden.
More negative emotions were associated with greater burden and distress, while caregivers having more positive emotions were associated with lower levels of both.

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