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Improving Respite Outcomes for Caregivers: Who Benefits and Under What Conditions?
Max E. Coleman, Donald A. Godfrey, Amber D. Thompson, Catharine Sparks, Rebecca Utz. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 2025-03-11
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) pose a substantial caregiving burden in the United States, yet efforts to improve caregiver well-being have seen mixed results. We ask whether an app-based intervention ( N = 143) to prioritize caregiver respite can substantially improve the caregiving experience, and whether these benefits are moderated by (1) caregiver demographics and (2) conditions of the caregiving situation (such as baseline impairment). Constructing curvilinear growth models to assess changes over a 20-week period, we find significant improvements in the positive aspects of caregiving (PAC). Greater benefits accrue to women, lower-income households, caregivers with a college degree, and caregivers who provide ≥80% of care to their family member. No differences in PAC growth are detected for care recipient memory and behavior problems, caregiver age, or caregiver race. We conclude that efforts to improve caregiver well-being may be especially effective for disadvantaged groups, with the notable exception of educational attainment.
Key findings
- Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) pose a substantial caregiving burden in the United States, yet efforts to improve caregiver well-being have seen mixed results.
- Constructing curvilinear growth models to assess changes over a 20-week period, we find significant improvements in the positive aspects of caregiving (PAC).
- We conclude that efforts to improve caregiver well-being may be especially effective for disadvantaged groups, with the notable exception of educational attainment.
Why it matters
An app-based intervention to prioritize caregiver respite significantly improved the positive aspects of caregiving over 20 weeks, with greater benefits for women, lower-income households, caregivers with a college degree, and those providing at least 80% of care. No differences were found for care recipient memory and behavior problems, caregiver age, or caregiver race, and the study did not measure effects on the disease itself.
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Study details
- Participants143
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Applied Gerontology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Applied Gerontology: journal h-index 92 (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 | 2 / 4 | 143 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation 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 Rebecca Utz: h-index 29 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Utah: institution h-index 1,238 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40067065) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Coleman, M. E., Godfrey, D. A., Thompson, A. D., Sparks, C., & Utz, R. (2025). Improving Respite Outcomes for Caregivers: Who Benefits and Under What Conditions? Journal of Applied Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648251324270
Vancouver
Coleman ME, Godfrey DA, Thompson AD, Sparks C, Utz R. Improving Respite Outcomes for Caregivers: Who Benefits and Under What Conditions? Journal of Applied Gerontology. 2025. doi:10.1177/07334648251324270. PMID: 40067065.
BibTeX
@article{coleman2025-40067065,
author = {Coleman, Max E. and Godfrey, Donald A. and Thompson, Amber D. and Sparks, Catharine and Utz, Rebecca},
title = {{Improving Respite Outcomes for Caregivers: Who Benefits and Under What Conditions?}},
journal = {Journal of Applied Gerontology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/07334648251324270},
pmid = {40067065},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648251324270}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.