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Association between chronic illnesses in older adults and caregiver burden: a cross sectional study in the United States
Yeajin Ham, Yeonju Jin, Ickpyo Hong, Ji-Hyuk Park. Aging & Mental Health, 2025-02-24
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia was significantly associated with caregiver burden related to emotional difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-3.09) and physical difficulty (OR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.01-2.78), but not financial difficulty. Furthermore, relationship with older adults, positive and negative self-esteem, the number of assistive activities of caregivers, and gender and physical capacity of older adults were significantly associated with caregiver burden. These findings clarify the definition of caregiver burden and provide integrated results on caregiver burden in chronic illnesses and the characteristics of caregivers and older adults.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Ham, Y., Jin, Y., Hong, I., & Park, J.-H. (2025). Association between chronic illnesses in older adults and caregiver burden: a cross sectional study in the United States. Aging & Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891
Vancouver
Ham Y, Jin Y, Hong I, Park J.-H. Association between chronic illnesses in older adults and caregiver burden: a cross sectional study in the United States. Aging & Mental Health. 2025. doi:10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891. PMID: 39989435.
BibTeX
@article{ham2025-39989435,
author = {Ham, Yeajin and Jin, Yeonju and Hong, Ickpyo and Park, Ji-Hyuk},
title = {{Association between chronic illnesses in older adults and caregiver burden: a cross sectional study in the United States}},
journal = {Aging \& Mental Health},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891},
pmid = {39989435},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891}
}
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Key findings
- Dementia was significantly associated with caregiver burden related to emotional difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-3.09) and physical difficulty (OR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.01-2.78), but not financial difficulty.
- Furthermore, relationship with older adults, positive and negative self-esteem, the number of assistive activities of caregivers, and gender and physical capacity of older adults were significantly associated with caregiver burden.
- These findings clarify the definition of caregiver burden and provide integrated results on caregiver burden in chronic illnesses and the characteristics of caregivers and older adults.
Why it matters
In this cross-sectional study, dementia was significantly associated with caregiver burden related to emotional difficulty and physical difficulty, but not financial difficulty. It clarifies factors linked to caregiver burden but provides no evidence on treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants1,419
- Effect sizeOR = 1.67
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Aging & Mental Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Aging & Mental Health: journal h-index 153 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,419 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ji-Hyuk Park: h-index 20 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Yonsei University: institution h-index 777 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39989435) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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