[Levels of burden of Alzheimer disease caregivers]

Abstract

Introduction: Our aim was to investigate the caregiver burden by means of scales to quantify the perceived burden, and the anxiety and depression levels.

Methods: Seventy-seven caregivers of patients with Alzheimer disease or other kinds of dementia (19 males and 58 females) admitted to the Alzheimer Evaluation Unit of Milan Niguarda Ca'Granda Hospital, were enrolled and filled in Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and the short form of the Anxiety and Depression scale (AD-R). The statistical analysis demonstrates that caregiver with relatives affected by more severe cognitive impairment (patients) show significant levels of burden and anxiety.

Results: The most relevant burden dimensions are: Time-Dependence Burden, Developmental Burden and Physical Burden. Time-Dependence Burden and Social Burden significantly correlate with cognitive (p = 0.01, p = 0.05) and functional rates of patients (p = 0.01, p = 0.05), whereas Developmental Burden only correlates with cognitive rates (p = 0.01). The more prolonged patients' disease the higher the caregivers'anxiety level (p < 0.05). There is nota significant correlation between the Developmental Burden, Physical Burden and Depression, observed in the caregivers' sample, and the cognitive and functional state of patients.

Conclusions: Alzheimer disease caregivers need an increase of their personal time anda specific intervention aimed to reduce the perceived feeling of social isolation, the physical distress and the anxious and depressive symptoms.