ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated predictors of positive (satisfaction) and negative (burden) appraisal among Cuban American (CA) caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of AD patients and their family caregivers. SETTING: A university-affiliated outpatient memory disorders clinic. SUBJECTS: A convenience sample of 40 CA family caregivers of patients diagnosed with probable or possible AD according to NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria. MEASURES: AD patients: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Blessed Dementia Scale (BDS) and the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD). Caregivers: Caregiving Burden Scale (CBS), Caregiving Satisfaction Scale (CSS), Perceived Emotional Support scale (PES) and the Short Form-36 Health Survey-General Health Index (GH). RESULTS: Appraised burden was predicted by increased patient behavioral pathology, female caregiver gender and lower levels of perceived emotional support. The association between older caregiver age and increased burden approached significance. Older caregiver age and higher levels of perceived social support were shown to predict appraised satisfaction. Post-hoc analyses also indicated that length of residence in the United States, a measure of acculturation, was not associated with positive or negative appraisal. CONCLUSION: Appraised burden and satisfaction represent important outcomes of dementia care that show relations with distinct factors among CA caregivers. It is clear that further research is warranted in order to ascertain the relationship of ethnicity or culture to the process and psychological consequences of dementia caregiving. Continued investigations into predictors of caregiving satisfaction are also recommended.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Caregivers/psychology , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cost of Illness , Cross-Sectional Studies , Family/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Status Schedule , Middle Aged , Personal Satisfaction , Social SupportABSTRACT
The authors examined the prevalence and clinical correlates of mood disturbance in 96 Cuban American (CA) Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia score > or = 7) was evident in 39.6% of the participants and showed associations with comorbid psychosis, lower education, and decreased length of residence in the United States, a measure of acculturation. Mood disturbance was not related to age, gender, marital status, cognitive dysfunction, functional impairment, history of significant alcohol use, or coexisting medical conditions. The results of this investigation suggest that signs and symptoms of depression are common neuropsychiatric disturbances in CA AD patients residing in the community.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/ethnology , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/ethnology , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Acculturation , Aged , Catchment Area, Health , Community Mental Health Services , Comorbidity , Cross-Sectional Studies , Cuba/ethnology , Depression/complications , Female , Humans , Male , Prevalence , Psychotic Disorders/complications , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Psychotic Disorders/ethnology , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Se propone una ficha de registro de datos de pacientes, tratando de que la misma se adopte como patron a fin de comparar datos estadisticos en los diferentes servicios. La misma consta de multiples variables, acosejandose no utilizarlas todas juntas en los diferentes trabajos. Los datos recogidos son los de mayor importancia dentro de la leprologia moderna
Subject(s)
Humans , Data Collection , Leprosy , Medical RecordsABSTRACT
Se propone una ficha de registro de datos de pacientes, tratando de que la misma se adopte como patron a fin de comparar datos estadisticos en los diferentes servicios. La misma consta de multiples variables, acosejandose no utilizarlas todas juntas en los diferentes trabajos. Los datos recogidos son los de mayor importancia dentro de la leprologia moderna