How patients with dementia influence caregiver burden using the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community‐based Integrated Care System‐21 items (DASC‐21) and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI)

• Published in: Psychogeriatrics Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 157 - 163
• Main Authors: Yoshino, Hiroshi, Takechi, Hajime
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.01.2023; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; burden of caregivers; Caregiver Burden; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Cognition; Cost of Illness; DASC‐21; Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; Dementia; Dementia - psychology; Dementia disorders; Humans; Integrated delivery systems; Memory; Multiple regression analysis; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Regression analysis; Risk factors; solving issues; dementia; solving issues; burden of caregivers; DASC-21
• ISSN: 1346-3500; 1479-8301; 1479-8301
• DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12921

Background Dementia is a disease that is frequently associated with significant caregiving burden. The present study was conducted on patients with dementia in order to investigate the causes of caregiver burden using the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community‐based Integrated Care System‐21 items (DASC‐21) and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI). Methods The study subjects consisted of 206 elderly patients (mean age: 80.9 ± 5.9 years) with dementia in an outpatient clinic. Current age, gender, type of dementia, Mini‐Mental State Examination, Hasegawa Dementia Scale‐Revised, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the DASC‐21 were investigated. Caregiver burden was assessed by using the ZBI. Behavioural and Psychological Symptom of Dementia (BPSD) were evaluated by using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Simple regression analysis for the ZBI was performed with respective risk factors as independent variables. Thereafter, multiple regression analysis was performed. Results The mean ZBI score was 28.0 ± 18.1, whereas mean DASC‐21 score was 44.4 ± 13.2. Simple regression analysis for the ZBI was performed with respective risk factors as independent variables. The DASC‐21 (P < 0.001), CDR (P < 0.001), NPI (P < 0.001), and GDS (P = 0.034) were significantly associated with the ZBI. For each item of the DASC‐21, Memory (P < 0.001), Orientation (P < 0.001), Solving issues/Common sense (P < 0.001), Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) outside the home (P < 0.001), IADL inside the home (P < 0.001), Physical ADL① (P < 0.001) and Physical ADL② (P = 0.014) were also significantly associated with the ZBI. To find the independent association of the ZBI, multiple regression analysis was performed. The results showed that DASC‐21 (P < 0.001) and NPI (P < 0.001) had significant correlation. For each item of the DASC‐21, Memory (P = 0.014) and Solving issues/Common sense (P < 0.001) were also shown to have significant correlation. Conclusions Both BPSD, cognition and IADL have affected caregiver burden. The DASC‐21 is useful for determining the causes of caregiver burden of dementia patients.