Caring while aging: a cross-sectional study in Lebanon on caregiver burden, mental health, and the moderating effects of social and financial resources.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. [email protected].
- 2Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
- 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. [email protected].
- 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
- 5Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
- 6Department of Global Health, Georgetown University School of Health, Washington, DC, USA.
Abstract
Background
A growing number of older adults provide care for spouses or relatives, yet the mental health impact of caregiving, particularly while managing their own health conditions, remains poorly understood. In Lebanon, where formal long-term care services remain limited and caregiving is largely family-based, there is a need to better understand how caregiver burden affects the mental health of older adult caregivers. Therefore, this study examined the association between caregiver burden and mental health among older adult caregivers in Lebanon and the moderating role of social and financial resources.Methods
We used baseline data from the Lebanon Study on Aging and HeAlth (LSAHA), a community-based prospective study of older adults aged ≥ 60 years, which included 434 caregivers. Multivariable linear regression models examined associations between caregiver burden (12-item Zarit Burden Interview) and depression (eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) and anxiety (seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale), with interaction terms testing the moderating effects of social (emotional and instrumental support) and financial resources.Results
Caregivers were predominantly female (61.8%), with a mean age of 69 years (± 6.9), and one-third cared for their spouse (33.5%). Those with high caregiver burden, reported by 36.4%, had depression scores that were 7.65 points higher (95% CI: 3.48 to 11.8) and anxiety scores that were 2.84 points higher (95% CI: 0.73 to 4.95) compared to caregivers with low burden. Emotional support significantly attenuated the association between caregiver burden and depression. Financial resources did not moderate the association between caregiver burden and mental health outcomes.Conclusions
This study underscores the public health need for addressing caregiver burden and mental health among understudied older caregivers. Although financial assistance, psychosocial services, and respite care have reduced caregiver burden in other settings, context-specific services and policies in Lebanon warrant evaluation. Future research should account for care recipients' characteristics and the multidimensional nature of social and financial resources.
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BibTeX
@article{chaaya2026caring,
title = {{Caring while aging: a cross-sectional study in Lebanon on caregiver burden, mental health, and the moderating effects of social and financial resources.}},
author = {Monique Chaaya and Sawsan Abdulrahim and Aya El Sammak and Alexandra Abi Nassif and Mayssan Kabalan and Suzanne Charbaji and Patricia Arkhondis and LSAHA Research Group and Abla M Sibai and Carlos F de Leon Mendes},
journal = {BMC geriatrics},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12877-026-08017-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902165},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Caring while aging: a cross-sectional study in Lebanon on caregiver burden, mental health, and the moderating effects of social and financial resources.
AU - Monique Chaaya
AU - Sawsan Abdulrahim
AU - Aya El Sammak
AU - Alexandra Abi Nassif
AU - Mayssan Kabalan
AU - Suzanne Charbaji
AU - Patricia Arkhondis
AU - LSAHA Research Group
AU - Abla M Sibai
AU - Carlos F de Leon Mendes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC geriatrics
DO - 10.1186/s12877-026-08017-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902165
AB - Background A growing number of older adults provide care for spouses or relatives, yet the mental health impact of caregiving, particularly while managing their own health conditions, remains poorly understood. In Lebanon, where formal long-term care services remain limited and caregiving is largely family-based, there is a need to better understand how caregiver burden affects the mental health of older adult caregivers. Therefore, this study examined the association between caregiver burden and mental health among older adult caregivers in Lebanon and the moderating role of social and financial resources.Methods We used baseline data from the Lebanon Study on Aging and HeAlth (LSAHA), a community-based prospective study of older adults aged ≥ 60 years, which included 434 caregivers. Multivariable linear regression models examined associations between caregiver burden (12-item Zarit Burden Interview) and depression (eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) and anxiety (seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale), with interaction terms testing the moderating effects of social (emotional and instrumental support) and financial resources.Results Caregivers were predominantly female (61.8%), with a mean age of 69 years (± 6.9), and one-third cared for their spouse (33.5%). Those with high caregiver burden, reported by 36.4%, had depression scores that were 7.65 points higher (95% CI: 3.48 to 11.8) and anxiety scores that were 2.84 points higher (95% CI: 0.73 to 4.95) compared to caregivers with low burden. Emotional support significantly attenuated the association between caregiver burden and depression. Financial resources did not moderate the association between caregiver burden and mental health outcomes.Conclusions This study underscores the public health need for addressing caregiver burden and mental health among understudied older caregivers. Although financial assistance, psychosocial services, and respite care have reduced caregiver burden in other settings, context-specific services and policies in Lebanon warrant evaluation. Future research should account for care recipients' characteristics and the multidimensional nature of social and financial resources.
SN - 1471-2318
ER -