Exploring conflict between caregiving and work for caregivers of elders with dementia: A cross-sectional, correlational study

Aim: To report the moderating effects of work-related conditions and interactive family-care-giving variables, including mutuality and preparedness, on caregiver role strain and mental health for family caregivers of patients with dementia. Background: Few studies have examined the interrelationships among caregivers' working conditions, care-giving dynamics and caregiver well-being. Design: Cross-sectional, correlational study. Methods: Data were collected by self-completed questionnaires from 176 primary family caregivers of patients with dementia in Taiwan from May 2005-January 2006. Caregiver role strain and mental health were analysed by multiple regressions using a hierarchical method to enter independent variables and two- and three-way interaction terms after controlling for caregiver age and gender, employment status, and work flexibility and the simple effect of each independent variable. Results: More preparedness was associated with less role strain for family caregivers with less work/care-giving conflict. More care-giving demand was associated with poorer mental health only for caregivers with low work/care-giving conflict and with average and low preparedness, but not high preparedness. For family caregivers with less work/care-giving conflict, more preparedness decreased role strain and maintained mental health even when care-giving demand was high. Conclusion: These results provide a knowledge base for understanding complex family caregiver phenomena and serve as a guide for developing interventions. Future studies with longitudinal follow-ups are suggested to explore actual causal relationships.