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Perceived burden in carers of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: the effect of patient insight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

K Greenop,
O Almeida,
K Cox,
L Flicker,
J Foster,
S Starkstein and
N Lautenschlager
K Greenop
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
O Almeida
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
K Cox
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
L Flicker
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
J Foster
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
S Starkstein
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
N Lautenschlager
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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Abstract

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Information

Type
Abstracts from ‘Brainwaves’— The Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research Annual Meeting 2006, 6–8 December, Sydney, Australia
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 18 , Issue 6 , December 2006, pp. 289 - 290
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard

Background:

Caring for a family member with dementia can cause stress; possible causes are the patient's lack of insight, poor functional ability or poor health. This study examined the association between level of insight in the patient and perceived burden in the carer.

Methods:

Twenty-four patients with mild Alzheimer's disease and their carers were recruited from Perth Metropolitan Memory clinics and community advertising. Patients were administered a neuropsychological battery and completed the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Dysexecutive (DEX) questionnaire and SF-36 health survey. Carers were interviewed separately on the DEX, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), SF-36 and Zarit Burden Scale. Patient insight was measured using the discrepancy between carer and patient total scores on the DEX questionnaire.

Results:

The DEX discrepancy score correlated significantly with total burden score (r = .52, P = 0.009). Burden was not correlated with patient cognition, age, neuropsychiatric symptoms and patient or carer SF-36 scores. A stepwise multiple regression with total burden as the outcome variable was statistically significant (R 2 = .65, F = 8.72, P < 0.001), significant predictors of outcome were DEX discrepancy, patient GDS, CDR sum of boxes and NPI score. Carer relationship and living status did not affect perceived burden.

Conclusions:

Reduced insight in patients with dementia may result in increased isolation and frustration for their carer (compared with carers of patients who have good insight). Therefore, measuring insight in patients with dementia may be useful in identifying carers at risk for high burden levels.