Caregiving and cardiovascular disease risk factors in male and female Luo elders from Kenya

Abstract

Background: The HIV/AIDS pandemic has created over 11 million orphans, who are primarily being cared for by grandparents. It has been suggested that this renewed parenting responsibility presents elders with added stressors. Few studies have systematically examined the impact of caregiving on health outcomes.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of caregiving on cardiovascular risk. It was hypothesized that caregiving would increase cardiovascular disease risk as measured by Framingham risk scores.

Subjects and method: 386 Luo elders (age = 73±8), divided into caregiving and non-caregiving groups, were recruited from the Nyanza Province, Kenya. Data were obtained from the participants including: Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, age, sex and smoking status.

Results: No significant difference was found between the Framingham risk scores of caregivers and non-caregivers. Among women increased BMI was positively associated with Framingham score (p=0.017), and among men increased waist circumference was positively associated with the score (p<0.001). Among women, the number of orphans under one's care lowered the risk of falling into the top quartile of the Framingham score while being a caregiver increased the risk of falling into the top quartile.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there is not a simple relationship between caregiving and cardiovascular risk.

• HIV/AIDS
• caregiving
• stress
• cardiovascular disease
• aging

Notes

Notes

1. A district is usually divided into several divisions (Nyando has four). Each division is further subdivided into locations (Nyando has a total of 29). The administrative leader of a location is the Chief – appointed by the District Commissioner. Locations are further subdivided into sub-locations, headed by an assistant chief. Sub-locations are divided up into different villages. The research centers were located in a central area within the location. Villages were chosen to represent a wide range of areas within the four divisions of Nyando District, two locations within Nyakach and one division within Kisumu Rural District. At the beginning of the research, Nyakach was a division of Nyando District. In 2009, it became its own district.