scholarly journals Predictor Factors of Perceived Health in Family Caregivers of People Diagnosed with Mild or Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease

Author(s):  
María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández ◽  
José Manuel Hernández-Padilla ◽  
Rocío Ortiz-Amo ◽  
Cayetano Fernández-Sola ◽  
Isabel María Fernández-Medina ◽  
...  

Caring for a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease has a negative impact on family caregivers’ psychological health. This study examined the factors related to ‘perceived health’ and ‘presence of new-onset mental health problems’ in family caregivers of people diagnosed with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s disease. A cross-sectional observational study carried out in Almeria’s Healthcare District (Spain). A total of 255 family caregivers (42.4% cared for people with mild Alzheimer’s disease and 57.6% cared for people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease) participated in the study from January to December 2015. Mainly, caregivers were women (81.5% in the mild Alzheimer’s disease group and 88.4% in the moderate Alzheimer’s disease group), and their average age was 56.54 years (standard deviation (SD) = 13.13) and 54.47 years (SD = 11.71), respectively. Around 47% of the caregivers had been caring for the person with Alzheimer’s between two and five years. The Goldberg General Health Questionnaire was used to measure perceived health and the presence of new-onset mental health problems. An exploratory descriptive analysis and a multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted. For caregivers of people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, ‘perceived health’ was related to ‘perceived social support’ (r = −0.21; p = 0.028), ‘person’s level of dependency’ (r = −0.24, p = 0.05), ‘severity of the person’s neuropsychiatric symptoms’ (r = 0.22; p = 0.05), and ‘caregiver’s emotional distress in response to the person’s neuropsychiatric symptoms’ (r = 0.22; p = 0.05). For caregivers of people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease, ‘perceived health’ was related to ‘perceived social support’ (r = −0.31; p ˂ 0.01), ‘presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms’ (r = 0.27, p = 0.01), ‘severity of the person’s neuropsychiatric symptoms’ (r = 0.32, p = 0.01) and ‘caregiver’s emotional distress in response to the person’s neuropsychiatric symptoms’ (r = 0.029; p = 0.01). The presence of new-onset mental health problems was detected in 46.3% (n = 50) of caregivers of people with mild Alzheimer’s and 61.9% (n = 91) of caregivers of people with moderate Alzheimer’s. When people are diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease, intervention programs for caregivers should aim to regulate emotions and promote positive coping strategies. When people are diagnosed with moderate Alzheimer’s disease, intervention programs for caregivers must allow them to adapt to caregiving demands that arise with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sołtys ◽  
Ernest Tyburski

Abstract Background: To date, differences in the functioning of formal and informal caregivers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients have not been often analyzed. Paying proper attention to the problems of nursing home staff can help identify important risk factors. Therefore, the aims of this study were to (1) compare depressive symptoms and mental health problems in informal and formal caregivers and (2) examine the relationship between mental resources, depressive symptoms, and mental health problems in both groups of caregivers. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 100 formal ( n = 50) and informal ( n = 50) caregivers of AD patients. Personal resources were measured with the Social Support Questionnaire, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, while mental health was assessed with the Depression Assessment Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire. Multivariate stepwise regression was performed separately for both investigated groups. Results: Statistical analysis showed that comprehensibility was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms and self-efficacy was a significant predictor of mental health problems in informal caregivers. For formal caregivers, emotional support and comprehensibility were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, while tangible support and meaningfulness were significant predictors of mental health problems. Conclusions: Personal resources are significant predictors of depressive symptoms and mental health outcomes in caregivers of AD patients. Preventive actions should therefore include assessment of factors affecting caregivers’ mental health in order to provide them with necessary care and create appropriate support groups.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhana Mann ◽  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Ellie Pearce ◽  
Ruimin Ma ◽  
Merle Schleif ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundLoneliness is associated with poor health including premature mortality. There are cross-sectional associations with depression, anxiety, psychosis and other mental health outcomes. However, the direction of causation is unclear and clarifying the evidence from longitudinal studies is a key step in understanding this relationship.AimsWe synthesized evidence from longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and new onset of mental health problems, in the general population.MethodWe systematically searched six electronic databases, unpublished sources and hand-searching of references, up to March 2020. We conducted a meta-analysis of eight independent cohorts, and narrative synthesis of the remaining studies.ResultsWe included 20 studies, of which the majority focused on depression. Our narrative synthesis concluded that loneliness at baseline is associated with subsequent new onset of depression. The few studies on anxiety also showed an association. Our meta-analysis found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 2.33 (95% C.I. 1.62 – 3.34) for risk of new onset depression in adults who were often lonely compared with people who were not often lonely. This should be interpreted with caution given evidence of heterogeneity. Most of the studies were in older adults.ConclusionLoneliness is a public mental health issue. There is growing evidence it is associated with the onset of depression and other common mental health problems. Future studies should explore its impact across the age range, look beyond depression, and explore the mechanisms involved.


Author(s):  
Luana Baldin Storti ◽  
Débora Teles Quintino ◽  
Natália Michelato Silva ◽  
Luciana Kusumota ◽  
Sueli Marques

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the relationship between the distress of the family caregiver and the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease or mixed dementia. Method: a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in the Geriatric and Dementias Clinic of a general tertiary hospital, with 96 elderly people with Alzheimer's disease or mixed dementia and their family caregivers. Questionnaires to characterize the elderly and caregivers, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory were used. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation test were performed. Results: 68.7% of the elderly were women, average age 80.8 years, 56.2% had Alzheimer's disease and 43.7%, mixed dementia. Among caregivers, 90.6% were women, average age 56, 70.8% took care of parents and 64.6% lived with the elderly. There was a strong (r = 0.82) and significant (p <0.01) correlation between the total score on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the total score on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Distress and strong (r = 0.80) and significant (p <0 01) correlation between the total score on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Distress and the number of neuropsychiatric symptoms, i.e., the higher the number, frequency and severity of these symptoms in the elderly, the more intense is the caregiver distress. Conclusion: the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the elderly was related to increased distress in caregivers.


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