Burden and associated pathologies in family caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients in Spain
Main Article Content
Keywords
Alzheimer Disease, Caregivers, Cost of Illness, Pharmacists, Professional Role, Spain
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the profile of family caregivers of Alzheimer´s disease patients, identify any signs of psychopathology, quantify the level of perceived burden on the caregiver, and determine the caregiver’s relationship with their pharmacist.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a community pharmacy in Pontevedra, Spain. Demographic variables were collected, and the following questionnaires were administered: the Beck Depression Inventory-II, STAI-Anxiety Questionnaire, Zarit Burden Scale, family APGAR scale, and the Duke-UNC questionnaire.
Results: The typical caregiver profile consists of a 55-year old first degree relative (mostly daughters) with a primary education who belongs to a functional or mildly dysfunctional family. Nearly one quarter (24%) of caregivers had a high perception of burden, with anxiety in 20% of caregivers and symptoms of depression in 20%. Family caregivers usually went to the same pharmacy as the patients (96%), were treated with psychotropic drugs (68%), and interacted with the pharmacist (92%).
Conclusion: This study confirmed that psychological distress and burden is present among family caregivers. Care for caregivers should be integrated into patient care as part of a national plan, including grants and subsidies, which will result in better care of Alzheimer's patients. Pharmacists are the most accessible health care professionals and can provide information about Alzheimer's disease management to caregivers to ease the burden of care.
References
2. Alzheimer Disease International: World Alzheimer Report: The global economic impact of dementia. London, ADI; 2010.
3. Montanes P, Quintero E. The Anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease: A clinical approach to the study of consciousness. Rev Latinoam Psicol. 2007;39(1):63-73.
4. Sansoni J, Anderson KH, Varona LM, Varela G. Caregivers of Alzheimer's patients and factors influencing institutionalization of loved ones: some considerations on existing literature. Ann Ig. 2013;25(3):235-246. doi: 10.7416/ai.2013.1926
5. Badía Llach X, Lara Suriñach N, Roset Gamisans M. [Quality of life, time commitment and burden perceived by the principal informal caregiver of Alzheimer's patients]. Aten Primaria. 2004;34(4):170-177.
6. Cole JC, Ito D, Chen YJ, Cheng R, Bolognese J, Li-McLeod J. Impact of Alzheimer´s Disease on Caregiver Questionnaire: internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability of a new measure for assessing caregiver burden. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2014;12:114. doi: 10.1186/s12955-014-0114-3
7. George LK, Gwyther LP. Caregiver well-being: A multidimensional examination of family caregivers of demented adults. Gerontologist. 1986;26(3):253-259.
8. Varela G, Varona L, Anderson K, Sansoni J: Alzheimer's care at home: a focus on caregivers strain. Prof Inferm. 2011;64(2):113-117.
9. Thompson C, Spilsbury K, Hall J, Birks Y, Barnes C, Adamson J. Systematic review of information and support interventions for caregivers of people with dementia. BMC Geriatr. 2007;7:18.
10. Pascual G. Guía para el cuidador de pacientes con demencia tipo Alzheimer. Zaragoza: Certeza; 1999.
11. Pinquart M, Sörensen S.Differences between caregivers and noncaregivers in psychological health and physical health: A meta-analysis. Psychol Aging. 2003;18(2):250-267.
12. Vitaliano PP, Young HM, Zhang J. Is caregiving a risk factor for illness?. Curr Direct Psychol Sci. 2004;13(1):13-16.
13. Schulz R. Handbook on dementia caregiving. Evidence-based interventions for family caregivers. New York: SPC; 2000.
14. Medalie JH. The patient and family adjustment to chronic disease in the home. Disabil Rehabil. 1997;19(4):163-170.
15. Beck AT, Steer RA, Brown GK. BDI-II. Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition. Manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation; 1996.
16. Vázquez C, Sanz J. [Reliability and validity of the Spanish version of Beck’s Depression Inventory (1978) in patients with psychological disorders]. Clínica y Salud. 1999;10(1):59-81.
17. Zarit S, Reever KE, Bach-Peterson J. Relatives of the impaired elderly: correlates of feeling of burden. Gerontologist. 1980;20(6):649-655.
18. Álvarez L, González AM, Muñoz P. [Zarit scale for assessing caregiver burden: how to administer and to interpret it]. Gac Sanit. 2008;22(6):618-619.
19. Spielberger CD, Gorsuch RL, Lushene RE. STAI Inventario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo (versión española) 4ª Ed. Madrid: TEA; 1997.
20. Smilkstein G, Ashworth C, Montano D. Validity and Reliability of the Family APGAR as a test of family function. J Fam Pract. 1982;15(2):303-311.
21. Bellón Saameño JA, Delgado Sánchez A, Luna del Castillo JD, Lardelli Claret P. [Validity and reliability of the family Apgar family function test]. Aten Primaria. 1996;18(6):289-296.
22. Broadhead WE, Gehlbach SH, Degruy FV, Kaplan BH. The Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Measurement of social support in family medicine patients. Med Care. 1988;26(7):709-723.
23. De la Revilla L, Bailón E, Luna J, Delgado A, Prados MA. Fleitas L. [Validation of a functional social support scale for use in the family doctor's office]. Aten Primaria. 1991;8(9):688-692.
24. Fundación Alzheimer España (FAE). Encuesta de la Fundación Alzheimer España sobre la situación de los cuidadores en España [Internet]. Madrid: Fundación Alzheimer España 2010. Available in: http://www.fundacionalzheimeresp.org/index.php (accessed September 4, 2012).
25. Alzheimer Europe. Who cares? The state of dementia care in Europe [Internet]. Luxembourg Alzheimer’s Association. 2006. [Access 04/09/12]. Available in: http://www.alzheimer-europe.org/Alzheimer-Europe/Our-work/Completed-AE-projects/2006-Dementia-Carers-Survey (accessed September 4, 2012).
26. Sancho ME. Envejecer en España. II Asamblea Mundial sobre el envejecimiento. Madrid: IMSERSO; 2002.
27. Crespo M, López J, Gómez M, Cuenca T. ¿El cuidador descuidado? Jano 2003;1485:54-55.
28. Moral Serrano MS, Ortega J, López Matoses MJ, Pellicer Magraner P. [Profile and risk of mental illness in caregivers for home care patients]. Aten Primaria. 2003;32(2):77-83.
29. Kim JM, Shin IS, Jeong SJ, Gormley N, Yoon JS. Predictors of institutionalization in patients with dementia in Korea. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2002;17(2):101-106.
30. Turro-Garriga O, Soler-Cors O, Garre-Olmo J, López-Pousa S, Vilalta-Franch J, Monserrat-Vila S. [Factorial distribution of the burden on caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease]. Rev Neurol. 2008;46(10):582-588.
31. Badía Llach X, Lara Suriñach N, Roset Gamisans M. [Quality of life, time commitment and burden perceived by the principal informal caregiver of Alzheimer's patients]. Aten Primaria. 2004;34(4):170-177.
32. Stefani D, Seidmann S, Pano C, Acrich L, Bail Pupko V. Los cuidadores familiares de enfermos crónicos: sentimiento de soledad, aislamiento social y estilos de afrontamiento. Rev Latinoam Psicol 2003;35(1):55-65.
33. Knight BG, Lutzky SM, Macofsky-Urban F. Meta-analytic review of interventions for caregiver distress. Gerontologist. 1993;33(2):240-248.
34. Sörensen S, Pinquart M, Duberstein P. How effective are interventions with caregivers? An updated meta-analysis. Gerontologist. 2002;42(3):356-372
35. Losada-Baltar A, Izal-Fernández de Trocóniz M, Montorio-Cerrato I, Márquez-González M, Pérez-Rojo G. [Differential efficacy of two psychoeducational interventions for dementia family caregivers]. Rev Neurol. 2004;38(8):701-708.
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.