Efectos de la satisfacción con el tiempo de ocio en personas cuidadoras de familiares mayores dependientes

AIM: To analyse the relationship between satisfaction with leisure time and subjective burden, depression and anxiety in caregivers of dependent elderly relatives. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. LOCATION: Primary health care (Andalusia, Spain). PARTICIPANTS: A probabilistic sample of 200 primary caregivers of dependent elderly relatives. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Satisfaction with leisure time, subjective burden, anxiety, depression, and objective burden (functional ability, cognitive impairment and behavioural problems of the care recipient, and dedication to caring of the caregiver). RESULTS: Most of the caregivers were women, daughters of the care recipients, and shared home with them. An inverse statistical association was found between satisfaction with leisure time and subjective burden (r = −0.55, 95%CI: −0.45 to −0.64), anxiety (r = −0.30, 95%CI: −0.17 to −0.41) and depression (r = −0.25, 95%CI: −0.11 to −0.37). These associations remained after controlling for objective burden. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction with leisure time may have a protective effect on subjective burden, anxiety and depression, regardless of objective burden.