| Publication Abstract Display | | Type: Published Abstract | | Title: Gender differences in the physiological correlates of caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease. | | Authors: Adler KA, Patterson TL, and Grant I | | Year: 2000 | | Publication: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | | Volume: 22 Issue: Suppl. Pages: S161 | | Abstract:Previous studies indicate that physiological responses to acute laboratory stressors may differ as a function of gender. We sought to examine the extent to which gender influences physiological responses to a chronic, naturalistic stressor: providing care for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease. Our sample consisted of 109 female and 65 male healthy spousal caregivers, 51-92 years old. Participants were assessed on several measures of stress and coping, including the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Instrument (PERI). Hemodynamic (SBP, DBP, HR) and hormonal indices of sress (plasma ACTH, CORT, EPI, NE) wer eobtained while participants were at rest. Men and women were equivalent on BMI and the length of ime they have provided help (ps>.05). However, males were significantly older than females (F = 20.58, p<.0005). Therefore, caregivers age was controlled for in all subsequent analyses. Male caregivers had significantly higher resting DBP (F = 9.45, p=.002) and resting plasm ACTH levels (F = 23.34, p<.0005) than did their female counterparts. Furthermore, resting plasma norepinephrine levels were significantly related to DBP (r=.58, p=.01) for male, but not female, caregivers. Also, the total number of life events experienced on he PERI was positively associated with plasma ACTH levels (r = .28, p = .03) for male caregivers only. For females, he number of life events endorsed on the PERI was unrelated to the levels of any physiological parameter assessed. These findings suggest that the physiological correlates of the chronic stress of caregiving may manifest themselves differently as a function of gender. |
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