Association between perceived social support and better cognitive performance among caregivers and non-caregivers

Pavarini, Sofia Cristina Iost; Ottaviani, Ana Carolina; Bregola, Allan Gustavo; Fraga, Francisco J.; Chagas, Marcos Hortes Nisihara; Oliveira, Nathalia Alves de; Brito, Tábatta Renata Pereira de

doi:10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0329

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Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Rev. Bras. Enferm. 74 (suppl 2) • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0329 copy

Association between perceived social support and better cognitive performance among caregivers and non-caregivers

Associação entre suporte social percebido e melhor desempenho cognitivo entre cuidadores e não cuidadores

Asociación entre apoyo social percibido y mejor desempeño cognitivo entre cuidadores y no cuidadores

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

to identify the association between the characteristics of the support network and cognitive performance of older caregivers and compare characteristics between caregivers and non-caregivers.

Methods:

we evaluated 85 older caregivers and 84 older non-caregivers registered with primary care units regarding sociodemographic characteristics, cognition, and social support. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed.

Results:

among non-caregivers, significant associations were found between a better cognitive performance and receiving emotional/affectionate support; each one-point increase in the emotional support score and affectionate support score was related to a 0.43-point and 0.39-point increase in cognitive assessment, respectively. Among older caregivers, each one-point increase in the emotional support score was related to a 0.55-point increase in cognitive assessment.

Conclusion:

strengthening the support networks of older caregivers and encouraging satisfactory exchanges of social support can assist in improving cognitive performance, which can have a positive impact on caregivers’ health.

Descriptors:
Aged; Caregivers; Cognition; Social Support; Geriatric Nursing

	Caregiver		p
	Yes	No
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Sex
Male	37.8%	62.2%	0.086³ 3 Pearson's chi-squared test;
Female	53.8%	46.2%
Age (years)	69.6 (5.9)	70.8 (7.5)	0.476⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Marital status
With partner	83.3%	16.7%	0.001³ 3 Pearson's chi-squared test; ^* * statistically significant difference.
Without partner	12.8%	87.2%
Schooling (years)	3.9 (3.5)	3.5 (2.9)	0.782⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Monthly family income (R$)	2259.8 (1299.4)	1674.9 (858.8)	0.001⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test; ^* * statistically significant difference.
Nº of residents in home	3.1 (1.6)	2.4 (1.5)	0.000⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test; ^* * statistically significant difference.
Nº of diseases	4.5 (2.6)	4.5 (2.5)	0.879⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Nº of depressive symptoms¹ 1 Number of self-reported symptoms using Geriatric Depression Scale;	3.7 (2.7)	3.6 (2.7)	0.646⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Tangible support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	87.4 (18.7)	87.9 (25.0)	0.124⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Affectionate support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	89.5 (19.5)	88.4 (25.6)	0.547⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Emotional support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	86.4 (21.5)	86.7 (24.9)	0.514⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Positive social interaction² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	84.5 (23.4)	86.1 (25.8)	0.373⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Informational support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	85.4 (20.8)	87.4 (24.5)	0.076⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;
Nº of members in network	4.9 (3.4)	5.0 (3.4)	0.944⁴ 4 Mann-Whitney test;

	Caregiver
	Yes		No
	Mean (SD) or r	p	Mean (SD) or r	p
Sex
Male - Mean (SD)	64.6 (4.8)	0.558³ 3 t-test;	65.9 (3.1)	0.227³ 3 t-test;
Female - Mean (SD)	61.8 (1.9)		60.6 (2.4)
Age (years)	-0.117⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.283	-0.377⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.001^* * statistically significant difference.
Marital status
With partner - Mean (SD)	61.5 (1.9)	0.270³ 3 t-test;	70.4 (4.9)	0.041³ 3 t-test; ^* * statistically significant difference.
Without partner - Mean (SD)	67.7 (4.0)		60.0 (2.1)
Schooling (years)	0.493⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.001^* * statistically significant difference.	0.669⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.001^* * statistically significant difference.
Monthly family income (R$)	0.401⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.001^* * statistically significant difference.	0.293⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.017^* * statistically significant difference.
Nº of residents in home	-0.191⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.078	-0.046⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.675
Nº of diseases	0.001⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.989	-0.146⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.186
Nº of depressive symptoms¹ 1 Number of self-reported symptoms using Geriatric Depression Scale;	-0.130⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.861	-0.030⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.781
Tangible support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	-0.032⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.766	-0.305⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.004^* * statistically significant difference.
Affectionate support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	-0.019⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.861	-0.202⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.064
Emotional support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	0.012⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.910	0.291⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.007^* * statistically significant difference.
Positive social interaction² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	-0.050⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.646	-0.224⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.040^* * statistically significant difference.
Informational support² 2 Score obtained using Social Support Scale of Medical Outcomes Study;	-0.043⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.695	-0.316⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.003^* * statistically significant difference.
Nº of members in network	-0.009⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.928	-0.249⁴ 4 Pearson's correlation coefficient;	0.025^* * statistically significant difference.

	Carer
	Yes				No
	β	p	p (model)	r²a	β	p	p (model)	r²a
Tangible support	-0.34	0.094	0.001	0.32	0.11	0.416	0.000	0.59
Affectionate support	-0.05	0.762			0.39	0.011
Emotional support	0.55	0.044			0.43	0.033
Positive social interaction	-0.09	0.459			0.10	0.507
Informational support	-0.20	0.346			-0.33	0.061
Nº of members in network	0.29	0.605			-0.35	0.445
Sex	-0.01	0.997			5.12	0.184
Age	-0.30	0.309			-0.55	0.012
Schooling	2.49	0.000			3.64	0.000
Nº of diseases	0.37	0.586			-0.25	0.725
Nº of depressive symptoms	-0.87	0.227			-0.28	0.612

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[1] Corresponding author: Sofia Cristina Iost Pavarini. E-mail: sofiapavarini@gmail.com