Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of 236 carers randomised to intervention and control. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Intervention (n=116) | Control (n=120) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Value | No | Value | |||
| Carers’ characteristics | ||||||
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 116 | 68.4 (11.3) | 120 | 67.6 (11.6) | ||
| Female | 116 | 76 (66) | 120 | 76 (63) | ||
| Ethnicity: white | 116 | 116 (100) | 118 | 116 (98) | ||
| Kinship: spouse | 116 | 76 (66) | 120 | 83 (69) | ||
| Urban location | 116 | 71 (61) | 120 | 75 (63) | ||
| Cohabiting | 116 | 99 (85) | 120 | 105 (88) | ||
| Daily assistance | 114 | 110 (97) | 120 | 116 (97) | ||
| 24 hours/day “on duty” | 105 | 67 (64) | 111 | 72 (65) | ||
| Retired | 115 | 78 (68) | 120 | 80 (67) | ||
| Mean (SD) years caring | 114 | 3.9 (7.7) | 118 | 3.7 (3.5) | ||
| Mean (SD) HADS depression score* | 113 | 6.7 (3.6) | 118 | 6.9 (3.9) | ||
| Mean (SD) EuroQoL VAS score* | 112 | 74.0 (16.8) | 114 | 73.1 (18.1) | ||
| Mean SD HADS anxiety score* | 113 | 7.5 (4.5) | 118 | 7.9 (4.6) | ||
| Mean (SD) positive affect (PANAS) score* | 108 | 31.03 (7.5) | 111 | 31.7 (7.7) | ||
| Mean (SD) loneliness score* | 112 | 2.00 (2.2) | 115 | 2.2 (2.2) | ||
| Mean (SD) perceived social support (MSPSS) score* | 113 | 44.0 (9.9) | 116 | 44.4 (9.1) | ||
| Support | ||||||
| Regular family/friend support | 109 | 44 (40) | 117 | 54 (46) | ||
| No family/friend support | 109 | 39 (36) | 117 | 30 (26) | ||
| Carers’ services | 113 | 71 (63) | 118 | 67 (57) | ||
| People with dementia’s characteristics and service use | ||||||
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 116 | 78.6 (8.9) | 120 | 77.8 (8.5) | ||
| Day care | 114 | 58 (51) | 120 | 59 (49) | ||
| Home care | 115 | 29 (25) | 120 | 32 (27) | ||
| Respite stays | 115 | 27 (23) | 117 | 29 (25) | ||
HADS=hospital anxiety and depression scale; MSPSS=multidimensional scale of perceived social support; PANAS=positive and negative affectivity scale; VAS=visual analogue scale.
*Higher scores indicate greater depression, perceived good health, anxiety, positive affect, loneliness, and perceived social support.