Correlation between burden on caregiver and clinical characteristics of patients with dementia

OBJECTIVE. To verify the correlation between caregiver burden dementia and characteristics of patients and caregivers. METHODS. Analysis of medical records, Patient data: socio-demographic characteristics, comorbidities, medications (previous and current), onset of diagnosis and symptoms, type of dementia and severity (cognitive impairment and functional abilities), behavioral disorders, Caregiver data: socio-demographic charactenstics, kinship, duration of caregiving and co-residency with the patient. Caregiver burden assessed by the zarit Interview RESULTS. Sixty seven patients (76.8 years (+/- 6.2), 53.7% women) and 82% female caregivers were surveyed Correlation between burden and behavior disorders (p < 0.001), dependencies (p=0.003), onset of symptoms (p=0.016) and of caregiving (p<0.001), previous diagnosis (p=0.016) and co-residency (p=0.002) was studied. Cognitive test scores (Mini Mental and CAMCOG) were Inversely proportional to distress (p=0,005 and p=0,023). Black caregivers demonstrated lower levels of stress (p=0.012). CONCLUSION. Burden was associated with behavioural disorders, dependencies, cognitive impairment, and onset of symptoms, caregiving and co-residency. Black caregivers demonstrated lower levels of stress.