Predictors of care burden experienced by caregivers of dementia elderly

초록

The aim of this study was to explore the predictors of care burden of caregivers as the basic knowledge to develop strategy reducing care burden of the primary caregiver. Methods. Ninety five caregivers of dementia elderly were recruited for this study. Participants were a family member or significant other who took care of the elderly in most of time. Revised version of Caregiver Burden Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, Neuropsychiatry Inventory questionnaire were administered. Results. Mean care time was 11.2 hours per day. Overall care burden score was 29.60. Subjective health score was 3.16 and ADL score of dementia elderly was 9.42. The change of family relationship score was 15.85 and social support score was 60.53 and depression score was 22.72. In addition, seriousness of behavior of dementia elderly was 14.09 and the score of suffering from the neuropsychiatric behavior was 17.07. In multiple regression analysis, the significant factors influencing care burden of subjects were depression, ADL function, gender of dementia elderly, and change of family relationship score. These four variables explained about 49 percent of variance of care burden. Conclusion. To reduce caregivers’ burden, these significant variables need to be intervened in personal, social and health policy aspects.