The Influence of Communication Abilities on the Family Disease Burden of Chronic Older Adults in China: An Examination of a Moderated Mediation Model

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of family function on communication abilities and family disease burden in older Chinese adults with chronic diseases, considering the socioeconomic status (SES) as a moderator. METHODS: This investigation employed a cross-sectional methodology to examine older adults, along with their caregivers, within both urban and rural settings in Zhejiang Province. Data were collected using the general demographic questionnaire, the family evaluation scale, and the family burden scale of illness. Data analysis included principal component analysis (PCA), the Spearman correlation analysis, and the bootstrapping methods. RESULTS: Mediation analysis revealed a significant total effect of communication abilities on family disease burden (B = -1.782, p