The Relationship between Psychopathology of Demented Elderly People and Caregiver's Burden

Lee, Sun Young; Kang, Min Hee; Kim, Churl Eung; Lee, Jeong Seop; Bae, Jae Nam

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to determine the amount of burden placed on the caregivers of patient diagnosed as dementia and depression. The study is intended 1) to compare depression and anxiety levels of caregivers with the degree of their burden and 2) to analyze and determine the clinical factors that contributed to such levels of depression and anxiety.
METHODS
93 individuals with dementia, suspected dementia, and depression were selected between February 2001 and April 2001. In order to determine the patients decreased cognitive function and psychopathology MMSE-K and NPI were used. In addition, the burden scale recently developed from Zarit, HARS, HDRS were used on 58 caregivers.
RESULTS
The MMSE-K figure form in the demented group was significantly lower than that of the non-demented group, 15.65 and 25.55 respectively. As for the NPI figures, the demented group posted higher numbers compared to the non-demented group. Among the individuals in the demented group, apathy, aberrant motor behavior, and night-time behavior showed the highest figures. On the caregiver's burden point, the demented group showed higher scores compared to the non-demented group with 76.62 and 58.30 respectively. The caregiver's burden point compared to the HDRS and HARS figures provided an evidence that there is a signigicant relationship between the groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The caregiver's burden point is found to be more affected by the demented patient's progressive phase of psychopathology than conditions due totheir decreased cognitive functions. There is a probability that an increase in the caregivers burden is likely to contribute to an increase in the caregiver's depression and anxiety.