Neuropsychiatric symptoms and caregiver’s burden in Colombian relatives of people with dementia

• Published in: Alzheimer's & dementia Vol. 19; no. S24
• Main Authors: Buitrago, Carlos Felipe, Garcia, Deissy Milena, Botero, Felipe, Giraldo, Claudia Irene, Moreno, Maria Jose, Forero, Laura Valentina, Triviño, Cristian, Reyes, Pablo A, Matallana, Diana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2023
• ISSN: 1552-5260; 1552-5279
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.083205

Background Neuropsychiatric symptoms are part of the psychopathological dimension of dementias. From a psychosocial approach, the direct and indirect costs of the disease increase, generating a greater demand to the caregiver. We aim to show the relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms and the caregiver’s burden in a group of 100 caregivers of patients with a dementia diagnosis. Method Sample of 51 caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and 49 with Fronto‐Temporal Dementia (FTD). Caregivers were patient’s relatives, mean age 58 y.o. and most of them had a college degree. To patients, we applied The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Additionally, we implemented the Zarit caregiver burden test to the caregivers. Result Categorized three groups of caregivers: without burden (n = 42), mild burden (n = 25), and severe burden (n = 33). There were not statistical differences between caregiver’s age (p = .067), schooling (p = .429), nor how long they were caring for the patient (p = .057). Nonetheless, there’s higher burden scores when they have more economic difficulties (p<.05), more psychosomatic symptoms (p<.05), even when implementing strategies to handle stress (p<.05). Also, the burden is present the more neuropsychiatric symptoms the patients have (p<.05). Age (Beta = .021; p = .934) is not associated with burden level, however, scholarship (Beta = ‐.679; p<.05) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (Beta = 1.141; p<.001) are significantly associated. Conclusion Sociodemographic caregiver’s characteristics and the symptom’s severity of the patients may establish a risk profile for caregivers. The study shows the importance of the development of support programs for caregivers. Shin, I. S., Carter, M., Masterman, D., Fairbanks, L., & Cummings, J. L. (2005). Neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in Alzheimer disease. The American journal of geriatric psychiatry, 13(6), 469‐474. Hiu, S. K. W., Bigirumurame, T., Kunonga, P., Bryant, A., & Pillai, M. (2022). Neuropsychiatric Inventory domains cluster into neuropsychiatric syndromes in Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Brain and Behavior, 12(9), e2734. Monfort, J. C., Lezy, A. M., Papin, A., & Du Montcel, S. T. (2020). Psychogeriatric Inventory of Disconcerting Symptoms and Syndromes (PGI‐DSS): validity and reliability of a new brief scale compared to the Neuropsychiatric Inventory for Nursing Homes (NPI‐NH). International psychogeriatrics, 32(9), 1085‐1095.