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Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study

Informal dementia caregivers are at greater risk of experiencing physical and mental health issues as compared to the general population. Internet-based resources may provide accessible opportunities to backing informal dementia caregivers by addressing their information and support needs. This cros...

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Autores principales: Teles, Soraia, Paúl, Constança, Costa-Santos, Cristina, Ferreira, Ana
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9518752/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36186787
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.978635
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author Teles, Soraia
Paúl, Constança
Costa-Santos, Cristina
Ferreira, Ana
author_facet Teles, Soraia
Paúl, Constança
Costa-Santos, Cristina
Ferreira, Ana
author_sort Teles, Soraia
collection PubMed
description Informal dementia caregivers are at greater risk of experiencing physical and mental health issues as compared to the general population. Internet-based resources may provide accessible opportunities to backing informal dementia caregivers by addressing their information and support needs. This cross-sectional study aims to characterize the use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by caregivers and identify variables associated with such use. Primary data were collected through a web-based survey (N = 158). Linear regression models were used to assess the associations of predisposing, enabling, and need variables with the frequency of using the internet for caregiving-related purposes. Most caregivers (93%) have ever used the internet to gather general information about dementia. The frequency of using internet resources was, however, moderate. The multivariable linear regression model suggests that being younger (β = −0.110, p = 0.009), not having a source of support to provide care (β = −2.554, p = 0.012), having used a face-to-face psychosocial intervention at some point (β = 2.731, p = 0.003), being employed (β = 2.558, p = 0.013), and appraising one's own physical health negatively (vs. appraising it as similar; β = 3.591, p < 0.001), are associated with a higher frequency of using caregiving-related internet resources. Our findings confirmed the association of age and perceived health status with caregiving-related internet use reported in other studies. The role of enabling variables as lifetime access to psychosocial interventions and having a usual source of support to provide care was a new addition. This study informs the design and deployment of information and support to dementia caregivers.
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spelling pubmed-95187522022-09-29 Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study Teles, Soraia Paúl, Constança Costa-Santos, Cristina Ferreira, Ana Front Med (Lausanne) Medicine Informal dementia caregivers are at greater risk of experiencing physical and mental health issues as compared to the general population. Internet-based resources may provide accessible opportunities to backing informal dementia caregivers by addressing their information and support needs. This cross-sectional study aims to characterize the use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by caregivers and identify variables associated with such use. Primary data were collected through a web-based survey (N = 158). Linear regression models were used to assess the associations of predisposing, enabling, and need variables with the frequency of using the internet for caregiving-related purposes. Most caregivers (93%) have ever used the internet to gather general information about dementia. The frequency of using internet resources was, however, moderate. The multivariable linear regression model suggests that being younger (β = −0.110, p = 0.009), not having a source of support to provide care (β = −2.554, p = 0.012), having used a face-to-face psychosocial intervention at some point (β = 2.731, p = 0.003), being employed (β = 2.558, p = 0.013), and appraising one's own physical health negatively (vs. appraising it as similar; β = 3.591, p < 0.001), are associated with a higher frequency of using caregiving-related internet resources. Our findings confirmed the association of age and perceived health status with caregiving-related internet use reported in other studies. The role of enabling variables as lifetime access to psychosocial interventions and having a usual source of support to provide care was a new addition. This study informs the design and deployment of information and support to dementia caregivers. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-09-14 /pmc/articles/PMC9518752/ /pubmed/36186787 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.978635 Text en Copyright © 2022 Teles, Paúl, Costa-Santos and Ferreira. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Medicine
Teles, Soraia
Paúl, Constança
Costa-Santos, Cristina
Ferreira, Ana
Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title_full Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title_short Use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: A cross-sectional study
title_sort use of dementia and caregiving-related internet resources by informal caregivers: a cross-sectional study
topic Medicine
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9518752/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36186787
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.978635
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