Emotional Exhaustion in Housewives and Alzheimer Patients’ Caregivers: Its Effects on Chronic Diseases, Somatic Symptoms and Social Dysfunction

Alina de las Mercedes Campos-Puente, María Luisa Avargues-Navarro, Mercedes Borda-Mas, Milagrosa Sánchez-Martín, José M. Aguilar-Parra and Rubén Trigueros
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Alina de las Mercedes Campos-Puente: Research Directorate, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University, Cercado de Lima 7476, Peru
María Luisa Avargues-Navarro: Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, CTS-432 Research Team, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
Mercedes Borda-Mas: Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, CTS-432 Research Team, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
Milagrosa Sánchez-Martín: Department of Psychology, University of Loyola Andalusia, 41014 Seville, Spain
José M. Aguilar-Parra: Department of Psychology, Hum-878 Research Team, Health Research Centre, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Rubén Trigueros: Department of Psychology, Hum-878 Research Team, Health Research Centre, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Emotional exhaustion causes adverse effects in those who suffer from it. Housewives are not excluded. Domestic and care chores, which are considered to be sources of stress, increase when taking on the role of caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. Objective: To analyse the influence of emotional exhaustion, somatic symptoms and social dysfunction, based on the activity they carry out. Methodology: Cross-sectional survey. 193 women participated, of which: housewives (HWs) (n = 97), and Alzheimer’s patient caregiver-housewives (CHWs) (n = 96). The evaluation tools were: sociodemographic/working data questionnaire (ad hoc), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Results: High rates of emotional exhaustion are observed, as well as an existing positive link between chronic diseases, somatic symptoms and social dysfunction. The structural model indicates that emotional exhaustion predicts the amount and extent of diseases, somatic symptoms and social dysfunction. The influence is higher in CHWs. Limitations: Sample procedure implemented at convenience; the variable of the grade of dependence of the Alzheimer’s patient caregiver was not included in the study. Conclusions: The domestic and care chores that HWs and CHWs carry out affect their health. Hence the need to develop psychoeducative programmes that are adapted to the particular needs of these women and focused on the different areas of their everyday lives.

Keywords: emotional exhaustion; chronic diseases; somatic symptoms; housewives; caregiver housewives; main caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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