Disability and Health Journal
Volume 3, Issue 2 , Pages 117-124, April 2010

Caregiver perceptions associated with risk of nursing home admission for people with multiple sclerosis

  • Robert J. Buchanan, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762.
    • ,
  • Dagmar Radin, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
    • ,
  • Chunfeng Huang, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Statistics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
    • ,
  • Li Zhu, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, TX 77843, USA

published online 05 November 2009.

Abstract 

Background

About one quarter of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) will need long term care during their disease, with about 5% to 10% requiring extended nursing home care. The study objective was to identify perceptions of informal caregivers associated with the possibility of future nursing home admission for people with MS.

Methods

Data were collected in a national survey of informal caregivers (78% were spouses) to people with MS. An ordered logistic regression model analyzed contributions that characteristics of the person with MS and caregiver made to the perceived probability of future nursing home admission.

Results

Aging, bowel dysfunction, poorer health, and functional decline in the person with MS, as well as caregiver burden, were associated with increased probability of future admission. Higher family income and greater satisfaction with access to MS-focused care were associated with lower risk of nursing home admission.

Conclusions

The rehabilitative, therapeutic, supportive, and maintenance services that contribute to MS-focused care could assist the person with MS and the caregiver adapt to the symptoms that interfere with the ability of the person with MS to function independently in daily life. Informal caregivers provided insights into factors associated with the perceived probability of future nursing home admission, gaining a better understanding of people with MS at risk for institutional care.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Nursing facilities, Admission

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 Financial disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. This research was supported by a contract from the Health Care Delivery and Policy Research Program of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (HC 0043).

PII: S1936-6574(09)00070-3

doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2009.08.003

Disability and Health Journal
Volume 3, Issue 2 , Pages 117-124, April 2010

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