TY - JOUR
T1 - Daily stressors and adult day service use by family caregivers
T2 - Effects on depressive symptoms, positive mood, and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate
AU - Zarit, Steven H.
AU - Whetzel, Courtney A.
AU - Kim, Kyungmin
AU - Femia, Elia E.
AU - Almeida, David M.
AU - Rovine, Michael J.
AU - Klein, Laura Cousino
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by grant RO1 AG031758 , “Daily Stress and Health of Family Caregivers,” from the National Institute on Aging .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - Objective This study examines effects of daily use of adult day service (ADS) programs by caregivers of individuals with dementia (IWD) on a salivary biomarker of stress reactivity, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), and whether these effects on DHEA-S are associated with daily variability in positive mood and depressive symptoms. Methods We used a daily diary design of 8 consecutive days with alternation of intervention (ADS) and nonintervention days to evaluate within-and between-person effects of the intervention. Family caregivers (N = 151) of IWD who were using ADS were interviewed daily by telephone at home. Saliva samples were collected from caregivers five times a day for 8 consecutive days and were assayed for DHEA-S. Daily telephone interviews assessed daily stressors and mood. Results DHEA-S levels were significantly higher on days after ADS use. Daily DHEA-S levels covaried significantly with daily positive mood but not with depressive symptoms. Conclusion These results demonstrate an association of ADS use by family caregivers and higher DHEA-S levels on the next day. Prior research has found that higher DHEA-S levels are protective against the physiologic damaging effects of stressor exposure and may reduce risks of illness. Regular use of ADS may help reduce depletion of DHEA-S and allow the body to mount a protective and restorative response to the physiologic demands of caregiving. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine DHEA-S levels across the day in connection with an intervention that affected daily exposure to stressors.
AB - Objective This study examines effects of daily use of adult day service (ADS) programs by caregivers of individuals with dementia (IWD) on a salivary biomarker of stress reactivity, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), and whether these effects on DHEA-S are associated with daily variability in positive mood and depressive symptoms. Methods We used a daily diary design of 8 consecutive days with alternation of intervention (ADS) and nonintervention days to evaluate within-and between-person effects of the intervention. Family caregivers (N = 151) of IWD who were using ADS were interviewed daily by telephone at home. Saliva samples were collected from caregivers five times a day for 8 consecutive days and were assayed for DHEA-S. Daily telephone interviews assessed daily stressors and mood. Results DHEA-S levels were significantly higher on days after ADS use. Daily DHEA-S levels covaried significantly with daily positive mood but not with depressive symptoms. Conclusion These results demonstrate an association of ADS use by family caregivers and higher DHEA-S levels on the next day. Prior research has found that higher DHEA-S levels are protective against the physiologic damaging effects of stressor exposure and may reduce risks of illness. Regular use of ADS may help reduce depletion of DHEA-S and allow the body to mount a protective and restorative response to the physiologic demands of caregiving. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine DHEA-S levels across the day in connection with an intervention that affected daily exposure to stressors.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jagp.2014.01.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jagp.2014.01.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 24566240
AN - SCOPUS:84928212029
SN - 1064-7481
VL - 22
SP - 1592
EP - 1602
JO - American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
IS - 12
ER -
