Unhealthy Coping: Smoking and Drinking Behaviors and Related Risk Factors Among Dementia Caregivers
2024
Unhealthy Coping: Smoking and Drinking Behaviors Among Dementia Caregivers
Sample size: 10158
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Liang Jiaming, Aranda Maria
Primary Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Hypothesis
Dementia caregivers may adopt unhealthy lifestyle behaviors as a form of stress relief.
Conclusion
Dementia caregivers are at a higher risk for unhealthy smoking and drinking behaviors compared to non-caregivers.
Supporting Evidence
- Dementia caregivers are more likely to be daily e-cigarette users compared to never-users.
- Dementia caregivers consume more alcoholic drinks per occasion than non-caregivers.
- Younger age and lower income are associated with daily tobacco use among dementia caregivers.
- Older age, being unmarried, home ownership, higher income, employment, fewer chronic conditions, and absence of depression are related to increased alcohol consumption.
Takeaway
Taking care of someone with dementia can make people more likely to smoke and drink too much, so we need to help them make healthier choices.
Methodology
The study used data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and conducted cross-sectional analyses.
Participant Demographics
The study included 280 dementia caregivers and 9,878 non-caregivers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04, 0.03
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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