Abstract 4370891: Gender Matters in Heart Failure Caregiving

Background: Caregiving burden is known to be high. However, the burden and responsibilities of caregiving may not be equally distributed between male and female caregivers. Similarly, caregiver needs may differ by gender, potentially impacting the success of interventions to decrease burden. We compared burden and needs between male and female caregivers of adults with heart failure (HF). Understanding gender differences in response to caregiving may be useful in tailoring interventions for male and female caregivers. Methods: Secondary analysis of baseline data from 250 HF caregivers in a health-coaching support intervention. The primary outcome, caregiver burden, was measured with the HF Caregiver Questionnaire. Participants self-reported the following: self-care (Self-care Inventory), self-care neglect (Health Self-Care Neglect Scale), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), physical/mental health status (SF-36), and caregiving (e.g., # of years) and demographic characteristics (e.g., gender). The Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT) was used to measure caregiver needs. We compared sociodemographic/psychosocial characteristics and CSNAT scores by gender. Additionally, we assessed for group differences between caregivers who completed the CSNAT and those who did not. Results: Caregivers were mostly female (n=213, 85%), White (62%), married (72%), 55±14 years old, and financially comfortable (82%). Many were employed full-time (44%) and well-educated (46% with a college degree). Sociodemographic differences did not vary by gender. Female caregivers reported higher burden (40.0 vs 29.6, p=0.01), stress (26.9 vs 22.1, p<0.001), self-care neglect (5.1 vs 4.0, p=0.003), and lower mental health status (41.3 vs 46.5, p=0.02) than males. Self-care and hours of caregiving per day did not differ. Caregiver needs were largely similar, except males reported a greater need for ‘practical help around the home or elsewhere’ (0.80±0.86 vs 0.40±0.66, p=0.04). Conclusion: The impact of caregiving on male and female caregivers is quantitatively different. Male caregivers did not experience as much burden, stress, and self-care neglect as females. Despite these differences, male and female caregiver needs were similar and addressable in a health-coaching intervention. Men are underrepresented in support interventions. Studies may consider oversampling men to better understand disparities in burden, needs, and how such disparities may be addressed in support interventions.