Health-related quality of life in caregivers of individuals with dementia from Colombia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of 99 caregivers of individuals with dementia and 95 healthy individuals from the general population in Colombia. The 36-item short-form (SF-36), a self-report measure composed of 8 component areas (physical function, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, energy/vitality, social function, role-emotional, and mental health), was used to measure HRQoL. Results indicated that the healthy control group had a higher level of education, socioeconomic status (SES), and number of male participants. After adjusting for education, SES, and gender, the caregivers of individuals with dementia scored significantly lower on all of the SF-36 subscales than the healthy controls. These findings suggest the need for rehabilitation health professionals to develop and implement culturally appropriate interventions to improve the HRQoL of caregivers of individuals with dementia in Colombia.