Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38881826›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in aging2024

"I've been doing this for years": the COVID-19 pandemic and family caregiver isolation and loneliness.

Caitlin Sullivan, Judith B Vick, Kasey Decosimo, Janet Grubber, Cynthia J Coffman, Rebecca Bruening, Nina Sperber, Matthew Tucker, Joshua Dadolf, Nathan Boucher and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in aging, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Caitlin SullivanCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Judith B VickCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Kasey DecosimoCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Janet GrubberCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Cynthia J CoffmanCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Rebecca BrueningCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Nina SperberCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Matthew TuckerCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Joshua DadolfCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Nathan BoucherCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Virginia WangCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Kelli D AllenCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
S Nicole HastingsCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Courtney H Van HoutvenCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.
Megan Shepherd-BaniganCenter of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.

Funding

HSRD VA QUE 16-170
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Family caregivers are family members or friends of care recipients who assist with activities of daily living, medication management, transportation, and help with finances among other activities. As a result of their caregiving, family caregivers are often considered a population at risk of experiencing increased stress, isolation, and loneliness. During the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, social isolation and decrease in social activities were a top concern among older adults and their family caregivers. Using secondary analysis of survey data as part of a multi-site implementation trial of a caregiver skills training program, we describe differences in caregiver experiences of loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Health and wellbeing surveys of family caregivers were collected on 422 family caregivers of veterans before and during COVID-19. Logistic regression modeling examined whether the loneliness differed between caregiver groups pre vs during COVID-19, using the UCLA 3-item loneliness measure. Rapid directed qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to explore the context of how survey responses were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: There were no significant differences in loneliness between caregivers pre vs during COVID-19. In open-ended responses regarding effects of COVID-19, caregivers described experiencing loneliness and social isolation; why they were unaffected by the pandemic; and how caregiving equipped them with coping strategies to manage negative pandemic-related effects. Conclusion: Loneliness did not differ significantly between pre vs during COVID-19 caregivers. Future research could assess what specific characteristics are associated with caregivers who have resiliency, and identify caregivers who are more susceptible to experiencing loneliness. Understanding caregiver loneliness could assist other healthcare systems in developing and implementing caregiver support interventions.

Indexed as

caregiversCOVID-19 pandemicisolationlonelinessveterans

Identifiers

PMID38881826
PMCPMC11176456

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.