OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the rates of burden amongst caregivers of participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to a control group. We also aimed to identify factors in both the caregiver and patient that are associated with significant levels of burden. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study. Sixty-four participants with MCI, 36 control-participants and their respective caregivers/informants were recruited to a university research clinic. The proportion of those who showed clinically significant levels of burden was determined by a Zarit Burden Interview score of >21. The associations of burden in MCI-caregivers were calculated in the following categories; participant characteristics (including depressive symptoms, cognition and informant ratings of cognitive and behavioural change); caregiver characteristics; and the caregiving context. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relative contribution of individual variables to burden amongst MCI-caregivers. RESULTS: We found that 36% of MCI-caregivers reported clinically significant levels of burden, twice that of the control informant group. Participant behavioural problems contribute most to burden, with participant depression and possibly cognition also having a significant association. CONCLUSION: Caregiver burden is a considerable problem in MCI and shares some of the same characteristics as caregiver burden in dementia, namely a strong association with challenging behaviours in the patient. This has implications for further research and intervention studies.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the rates of burden amongst caregivers of participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to a control group. We also aimed to identify factors in both the caregiver and patient that are associated with significant levels of burden. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study. Sixty-four participants with MCI, 36 control-participants and their respective caregivers/informants were recruited to a university research clinic. The proportion of those who showed clinically significant levels of burden was determined by a Zarit Burden Interview score of >21. The associations of burden in MCI-caregivers were calculated in the following categories; participant characteristics (including depressive symptoms, cognition and informant ratings of cognitive and behavioural change); caregiver characteristics; and the caregiving context. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relative contribution of individual variables to burden amongst MCI-caregivers. RESULTS: We found that 36% of MCI-caregivers reported clinically significant levels of burden, twice that of the control informant group. Participant behavioural problems contribute most to burden, with participantdepression and possibly cognition also having a significant association. CONCLUSION: Caregiver burden is a considerable problem in MCI and shares some of the same characteristics as caregiver burden in dementia, namely a strong association with challenging behaviours in the patient. This has implications for further research and intervention studies.
Authors: Noelle E Carlozzi; Carey W Sherman; Kaley Angers; Mitchell P Belanger; Amy M Austin; Kelly A Ryan Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2017-07-12 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Yvonne Yueh-Feng Lu; Jennifer Ellis; Ziyi Yang; Michael T Weaver; Tamilyn Bakas; Mary Guerriero Austrom; Joan E Haase Journal: J Nurs Scholarsh Date: 2016-04-27 Impact factor: 3.176
Authors: Sarah Morgan; Sarah Kellner; Jesus Gutierrez; Kathleen Collins; Brittany Rohl; Fanny Migliore; Stephanie Cosentino; Edward D Huey; Elan D Louis; Joan K Monin Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2017-08-14 Impact factor: 4.003