Table 1 Sample characteristics and risk factors for suicidal thoughts in informal caregivers, adjusted for age and gender
Total n = 1582 | Suicidal thoughts n = 36 | No suicidal thoughts n = 1546 | Model adjusted for age and gender | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | OR | 95% CI | p | |
Sociodemographics | ||||||
Age, mean (SD) | 50.2 (11.5) | 49.2 (10.0) | 50.2 (11.5) | 0.99 | 0.97; 1.02 | 0.61 |
Female gender | 1022 (64.6) | 25 (69.4) | 997 (64.5) | 1.24 | 0.60; 2.54 | 0.56 |
Lower educational levela | 469 (29.6) | 15 (41.7) | 454 (29.4) | 1.79 | 0.90; 3.57 | 0.10 |
No paid employment | 501 (31.7) | 17 (47.2) | 484 (31.3) | 2.34 | 1.14; 4.80 | 0.02 |
Living without a partner | 400 (25.3) | 16 (44.4) | 384 (24.8) | 2.39 | 1.22; 4.66 | 0.01 |
Cohabitation with child(ren) | 688 (43.5) | 16 (44.4) | 672 (43.5) | 0.96 | 0.47; 1.95 | 0.91 |
Caregiving characteristics | ||||||
Relationship with care recipient | ||||||
Partner | 191 (12.1) | 6 (16.7) | 185 (12.0) | 1.54 | 0.63; 3.77 | 0.35 |
First-degree family | 903 (57.1) | 20 (55.6) | 883 (57.1) | 0.93 | 0.48; 1.82 | 0.84 |
Other family | 453 (28.6) | 10 (27.8) | 443 (28.7) | 0.94 | 0.45; 1.98 | 0.88 |
Friend | 255 (16.1) | 4 (11.1) | 251 (16.2) | 0.63 | 0.22; 1.79 | 0.38 |
More than one care recipient | 615 (38.9) | 17 (47.2) | 598 (38.7) | 1.41 | 0.72; 2.73 | 0.32 |
Living with care recipient | 266 (16.8) | 9 (25.0) | 257 (16.6) | 1.69 | 0.79; 3.64 | 0.18 |
Providing care for 8 or more hours per week | 507 (32.0) | 11 (30.6) | 496 (32.1) | 0.93 | 0.45; 1.92 | 0.84 |
Providing care for longer than one year | 777 (49.1) | 21 (58.3) | 756 (48.9) | 1.52 | 0.77; 3.01 | 0.23 |
Reason for care | ||||||
Physical problems | 938 (59.3) | 21 (58.3) | 917 (59.3) | 0.96 | 0.49; 1.87 | 0.90 |
Mental problems | 472 (29.8) | 16 (44.4) | 456 (29.5) | 1.88 | 0.96; 3.66 | 0.07 |
Ageing | 511 (32.3) | 8 (22.2) | 503 (32.5) | 0.61 | 0.27; 1.35 | 0.22 |
Dementia | 212 (13.4) | 5 (13.9) | 207 (13.4) | 1.06 | 0.41; 2.79 | 0.90 |
Type of care | ||||||
Domestic work | 915 (57.8) | 22 (61.1) | 893 (57.8) | 1.12 | 0.56; 2.21 | 0.75 |
Personal care or nursing | 419 (26.5) | 13 (36.1) | 406 (26.3) | 1.56 | 0.78; 3.12 | 0.21 |
Emotional support | 1419 (89.7) | 34 (94.4) | 1385 (89.6) | 1.97 | 0.47; 8.30 | 0.36 |
Practical care | 1232 (77.9) | 28 (77.8) | 1204 (77.9) | 1.02 | 0.46; 2.27 | 0.96 |
Other characteristics | ||||||
Social support total score, mean (SD) | 3.4 (0.6) | 3.1 (0.8) | 3.4 (0.59) | 0.50 | 0.31; 0.80 | < 0.01 |
Chronic physical disorder in last 12 months | 753 (47.6) | 27 (75.0) | 726 (47.0) | 3.75 | 1.72; 8.17 | < 0.01 |
Mood disorder in last 12 months | 72 (4.6) | 12 (33.3) | 60 (3.9) | 12.32 | 5.80; 26.14 | < 0.001 |
Anxiety disorder in last 12 months | 100 (6.3) | 9 (25.0) | 91 (5.9) | 5.23 | 2.35; 11.65 | < 0.001 |
Negative life event in last 12 months | 878 (55.5) | 24 (66.7) | 854 (55.2) | 1.59 | 0.79; 3.21 | 0.19 |
Impaired social role functioning (< 100) | 601 (38.0) | 26 (72.2) | 575 (37.2) | 4.34 | 2.07; 9.10 | < 0.001 |
Impaired physical role functioning (< 100) | 215 (13.6) | 15 (41.7) | 400 (25.9) | 4.73 | 2.39; 9.36 | < 0.001 |
Impaired emotional role functioning (< 100) | 420 (26.5) | 20 (55.6) | 200 (12.9) | 3.58 | 1.83; 7.01 | < 0.001 |