OBJECTIVE: There are high rates of stress, distress, and psychological illness in family caregivers of people with dementia. Female caregivers and those caring for people with neuropsychiatric symptoms are particularly at risk. The authors report on the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a sample of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer disease (AD) and compare the characteristics of those who did or did not have those conditions. METHODS: A group of 153 people with AD and their caregivers were interviewed as part of a larger study of AD. RESULTS: In all, 23.5% of caregivers scored at or above caseness level for anxiety, and 10.5%, at levels for depression. Care-recipient (CR) activities of daily living (ADL) impairment, being a caregiver living with the CR, being a female caregiver, reporting a poorer quality of relationship with the CR, and caregivers reporting their health as being poor all predicted anxiety disorder. CR irritability, caregivers reporting poor health, and a poorer quality of relationship with the CR predicted depression. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of the high rates of anxiety as well as depressive symptoms in family caregivers of people with AD, especially in female caregivers. CRs and Caregivers' impaired physical health put them at risk for psychological morbidity and should be treated energetically. A poor-quality relationship between the caregiver and the CR predicts both caregiver depression and anxiety. Caregivers living with the CR are much more likely to be anxious than depressed.
OBJECTIVE: There are high rates of stress, distress, and psychological illness in family caregivers of people with dementia. Female caregivers and those caring for people with neuropsychiatric symptoms are particularly at risk. The authors report on the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a sample of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer disease (AD) and compare the characteristics of those who did or did not have those conditions. METHODS: A group of 153 people with AD and their caregivers were interviewed as part of a larger study of AD. RESULTS: In all, 23.5% of caregivers scored at or above caseness level for anxiety, and 10.5%, at levels for depression. Care-recipient (CR) activities of daily living (ADL) impairment, being a caregiver living with the CR, being a female caregiver, reporting a poorer quality of relationship with the CR, and caregivers reporting their health as being poor all predicted anxiety disorder. CR irritability, caregivers reporting poor health, and a poorer quality of relationship with the CR predicted depression. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of the high rates of anxiety as well as depressive symptoms in family caregivers of people with AD, especially in female caregivers. CRs and Caregivers' impaired physical health put them at risk for psychological morbidity and should be treated energetically. A poor-quality relationship between the caregiver and the CR predicts both caregiver depression and anxiety. Caregivers living with the CR are much more likely to be anxious than depressed.
Authors: Elizabeth A Chattillion; Brent T Mausbach; Susan K Roepke; Roland von Känel; Paul J Mills; Joel E Dimsdale; Matthew Allison; Michael G Ziegler; Thomas L Patterson; Sonia Ancoli-Israel; Igor Grant Journal: Psychol Health Date: 2011-12-12
Authors: Ki Young Son; Sang Min Park; Chi Hoon Lee; Geum Jeong Choi; DaeGeun Lee; SeoungHee Jo; Se Hoon Lee; BeLong Cho Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2010-05-06 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Brent T Mausbach; Elizabeth A Chattillion; Raeanne C Moore; Susan K Roepke; Colin A Depp; Scott Roesch Journal: Clin Psychol Rev Date: 2011-04-28
Authors: Kathleen W Piercy; Elizabeth B Fauth; Maria C Norton; Roxane Pfister; Chris D Corcoran; Peter V Rabins; Constantine Lyketsos; JoAnn T Tschanz Journal: J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci Date: 2012-12-14 Impact factor: 4.077
Authors: Claudia Miranda-Castillo; Bob Woods; Kumari Galboda; Sabu Oomman; Charles Olojugba; Martin Orrell Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2010-11-12 Impact factor: 3.186