Tarja H Välimäki1, Janne A Martikainen2, Ilona T Hallikainen3, Saku T Väätäinen2, Anne M Koivisto4. 1. Department of Nursing Science, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland Unit of Nursing Development, Clinical Education and Research, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland tarja.valimaki@uef.fi. 2. Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 3. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 4. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland Neurology of NeuroCenter, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore family caregiver (FC) long-term psychological distress after Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis in a family member. METHODS: FC (n = 236) and patients with AD were prospectively followed up to 36 months after AD diagnosis. FC psychological distress was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Furthermore, caregiver depressive symptoms and sense of coherence, along with AD patient measurements, were measured at baseline and annually. Generalized estimating equation models were applied to study associations of these baseline factors to caregiver GHQ. RESULTS: After 36 months of follow-up, spousal caregivers (SCs) GHQ was significantly higher (P < .001) than in the nonspousal caregivers (NSCs). The difference in GHQ scores was associated by depressive symptoms (P < .001) at baseline, and the depressed SCs have more severe distress than NSCs over the observation period. CONCLUSION: During longitudinal caregiving, spousal and depressed caregivers of patients with AD report higher and increasing psychological stress than nonspousal and nondepressed caregivers. Spousal relationship, caregivers' depressive symptoms, and the severity of patients' neuropsychological symptoms at the time of AD diagnosis predict the trajectory of psychological distress. The current study highlights the need for evaluating AD caregiver mental health and level of coping.
OBJECTIVE: To explore family caregiver (FC) long-term psychological distress after Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis in a family member. METHODS: FC (n = 236) and patients with AD were prospectively followed up to 36 months after AD diagnosis. FC psychological distress was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Furthermore, caregiver depressive symptoms and sense of coherence, along with ADpatient measurements, were measured at baseline and annually. Generalized estimating equation models were applied to study associations of these baseline factors to caregiver GHQ. RESULTS: After 36 months of follow-up, spousal caregivers (SCs) GHQ was significantly higher (P < .001) than in the nonspousal caregivers (NSCs). The difference in GHQ scores was associated by depressive symptoms (P < .001) at baseline, and the depressed SCs have more severe distress than NSCs over the observation period. CONCLUSION: During longitudinal caregiving, spousal and depressed caregivers of patients with AD report higher and increasing psychological stress than nonspousal and nondepressed caregivers. Spousal relationship, caregivers' depressive symptoms, and the severity of patients' neuropsychological symptoms at the time of AD diagnosis predict the trajectory of psychological distress. The current study highlights the need for evaluating AD caregiver mental health and level of coping.
Authors: Nicole M Armstrong; Laura N Gitlin; Jeanine M Parisi; David L Roth; Alden L Gross Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2018-02-22 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Patrick Pui Kin Kor; Meng Li Li; Denis Ka Shaw Kwok; Angela Yee Man Leung; Danial Lok Lam Lai; Justina Yat Wah Liu Journal: BMC Psychol Date: 2022-07-19