Long-Term Study of Caregiving Networks and Stress in Adults Caring for People with Chronic Illnesses

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the health and well-being of adult caregivers who provide informal, unpaid care to people with chronic medical conditions. The study aims to understand how the stress of caregiving affects caregivers over time, including social, psychological, behavioral, and biological factors. It also includes a bereavement component for families who experienced the death of their care recipient. Participants will be grouped and asked to complete various activities over one year, with the option to repeat annually for up to five years. These activities include online surveys about their health, caregiving experiences, and social support networks two-part phone interviews about caregiving and life events optional weeklong diaries every three months about daily activities and stress and optional annual blood samples to study biological markers. During the study, participants will provide information through surveys, interviews, diaries, and blood samples to help researchers measure changes in caregiving burden and related factors. The study tracks these outcomes annually and quarterly to learn about the natural history of caregiver stress. Participants ability to consent and English fluency are required to complete assessments, with ongoing monitoring throughout the study period, which may last up to five years.

Caregiving Networks Across Disease Context and the Life Course