Caregiving for children with developmental disabilities is associated with a poor antibody response to influenza vaccination

Objective: Older spousal caregivers of dementia patients have been found to show a relatively poor antibody response to medical vaccination. The present case control study compared the antibody responses to vaccination of younger parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities and parents of typically developing children. Methods: At baseline assessment, 32 parents of children with developmental disabilities and 29 parents of typically developing children completed standard measures of perceived stress and child problem behaviours. They also provided a blood sample and were then vaccinated with the thymus-dependent trivalent influenza vaccine. Further blood samples were taken at 1- and 6-month follow-ups. Results: Relative to parents of typically developing children (mean titre = 458, SD = 155.7 at 1-month and mean titre = 265, SD = 483.0 at 6-month followup) caregivers (mean titre = 219, SD = 528.4 at 1-month and 86, SD = 55.0 at 6- month) mounted a poorer antibody response than controls to the B/Malaysia strain of the vaccine. It was those caregivers reporting more child problem behaviours that tended to show the weakest antibody response. Conclusion: The negative impact of caregiving on antibody response to vaccination would not appear to be restricted to older spousal caregivers, but is also evident in younger parents caring for children with developmental disabilities. The behavioural characteristics of the care recipients may be a determinant of whether or not antibody response to vaccination is compromised.