Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Health Services

Advisor

Cheryl B. Cullen

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently presents a huge burden to individuals and families, a burden that is increasing in incidence with the aging of the baby boomer generation. Caring for a spouse diagnosed with AD holds potentially severe negative consequences for the caregiver’s physical and psychological well-being. The current study used secondary data from the 2017 New York State Department of Health/Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System to identify a relationship, if any, between the time and activities a caregiver spends with the AD person and the caregiver’s self-reported level of general and mental health. A logistic regression was used for RQ1 to examine if there is a relationship between number of hours per week an AD caregiver spends caring for a family member with AD/dementia and the age, gender, and ethnicity of caregiver; RQ2 examined the relationship between the number of hours per week an AD caregiver spends caring for a family member with AD/dementia and the self-reported general health of the caregiver as measured by annual cholesterol check, annual flu shot, and personal doctor visits as needed. RQ3 examined the number of hours per week the AD caregiver spends caring for a family member with AD/dementia and the ability to manage personal time and household tasks. There was a positive relationship between the dependent variable of hours per week the caregiver cares for the family member and the dependent variables of age and the management of personal time of the family member. Evidence from this study may inform administrators, and healthcare professionals, regarding the importance of providing resources for caregivers.

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