Objective
To examine prevalence and predictors of burden in caregivers of people with dementia
attending memory clinics.
Methods
This Prospective cohort study conducted at nine memory clinics in Australia rated
732 outpatient attendees and their primary caregivers at baseline and at 3, 6, 12,
24, and 36 months. Ratings were based on the following: dementia diagnosis according
to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Mini-Mental
State Exam, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive, Functional Autonomy Measurement
System, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, use of psychotropic and antidepressant medications,
patient and caregiver resource use, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI).
Results
Half the caregivers had significantly high levels of burden, rising to 57.7% at 12
months; with moderate to severe burden rates, rising from 14.7% at baseline to 22.8%
at 12 months; and mean ZBI levels rising from 22.9 at baseline to 25.5 at 6 months
and 27.7 at 12 months. Caregiver predictors of 6- and 12-month burden were their neuroticism
and baseline ZBI score. Patient predictors were their level of behavioral symptoms,
use of antipsychotics and antidepressants, and more rapid functional decline. Other
predictors (female caregiver, level of cognition and function, diagnosis of frontotemporal
dementia) were not significant in regression analyses.
Conclusion
Caregivers of people with dementia have high and persistent rates of burden. Identification
of caregivers likely to have high levels of burden at 12 months may allow more accurate
targeting of interventions.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 09, 2013
Accepted:
May 15,
2013
Received in revised form:
May 11,
2013
Received:
November 9,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
