Social and health-related predictors of family function in older spousal caregivers: a cross-sectional study

Given the benefits of adequate family function for the health and well-being of older adults, it is important to understand what factors predict adequate family function in older people who care for their spouses. Objective: Analyse predictors of family function in older spousal caregivers. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to investigate a non-probabilistic sample of 298 older spousal caregivers. Home-based face-to-face interviews were used to evaluate sociodemographic variables and care context, family function (Family APGAR), cognitive function, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Data were analysed using multiple logistic regression with stepwise forward method for variable section. Results: Older caregivers having some degree of cognitive impairment (OR=-0.160, 95%CI 0.444–0.579), depressive symptoms (OR=-0.848, 95%CI 0.726–0.992) or high levels of stress (OR=-0.955, 95%CI 0.914-0.999) had overall lower levels of family function. Having more children was linked to approximately 1.3 times higher family function (95%CI 1.080–1.057). Conclusion: Stress, depression, cognitive decline, and number of children are predictors of family function and should be considered in social and health care strategies within the family caregiving context

Translation, adaption and validation of the "cultural and psychosocial influences on disability (CUPID) questionnaire" for use in Brazil

The paper describes the adaptation and testing of the Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability Questionnaire for use in Portuguese. The cross-cultural adaptation followed the steps of translation, back-translation, evaluation of the translations by a committee of judges, and then piloting of the pre-final version. This was performed in a sample of 40 nursing staff from the Hospital at the University of São Paulo. Adjustments were made after review of the translations by the committee of judges (CVI ≤ 80%). The pilot study was used to test whether questions could be satisfactorily understood and completed (≥ 85% of subjects). The Brazilian version of the Questionnaire is an adequate instrument for the ascertainment of occupational activities, psychosocial aspects of work, musculoskeletal symptoms and associated disabilities in nursing staff