ABSTRACT
AIM: To determine the direct and indirect relationships of sociodemographic, emotional and behavioral characteristics of family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients who have neuropsychiatric symptoms. METHODS: A total of 134 family caregivers answered a questionnaire with sociodemographic data, and questions regarding the context of care, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, Dementia Management Strategies Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory. A path analysis was used to model the direct and indirect relationships among the selected variables. RESULTS: Being a female caregiver, presenting high levels of burden, a moderate degree of depressive symptoms, distress (Neuropsychiatric Inventory total distress score), active management strategies and criticism management strategies were significantly associated with the total score of neuropsychiatric symptoms. The caregiver burden and use of criticism management strategies were directly related to neuropsychiatric symptoms in older adults with Alzheimer's disease. The use of active management strategies and depressive symptoms of caregivers had indirect relationships with neuropsychiatric symptoms through caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: Overburdened caregivers and the use of dysfunctional management strategies are associated with a greater presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease patients. These aspects should be considered when developing interventions for caregivers to manage neuropsychiatric symptoms and overall treatment of patients with dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1177-1182.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/nursing , Caregivers/psychology , Dependency, Psychological , Quality of Life , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adaptation, Psychological , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/physiopathology , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Risk Assessment , SpainABSTRACT
Considerando a proposta magna do ideário UNI de incentivar novas iniciativas na formaçäo de profissionais da saúde em uniäo com a comunidade, a Faculdade de Medicina de Marília - FAMEMA centrou todos os investimentos na primeira fase do Projeto em recursos humanos. Constitui-se uma centro para Capacitaçäo de Recursos Humanos, com objetivo de elaborar atividades de educaçäo e desenvolvimento de lideranças
