Table 2.
Characteristics and test scores by severity of burden in 92 caregivers of patients with dementia attended at the neurology consultancy of three memory centers.
| Degree of severity | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little or no burden (n=26) | Mild to moderate burden (n=23) | Moderate to severe burden (n=24) | Severe burden (n=19) | ||
| Sex of caregiver: female | 23 (88.5%) | 21 (91.3%) | 18 (75.0%) | 13 (68.4%) | |
| Age of caregiver, years§ | 68 (43-80) | 65 (38-76) | 56 (36-76) | 57 (50-76) | |
| Civil status of caregiver: married | 25 (96.2%) | 16 (69.6%)* | 18 (75.0%)* | 18 (94.7%) | |
| Education of caregiver, years§ | 11 (5-16) | 14 (6-16) | 10 (5-18) | 10 (5-16) | |
| Relationship with patient | Spouse | 19 (73.1%) | 14 (60.9%) | 9 (37.5%) | 14 (73.7%) |
| Son or daughter | 7 (26.9%) | 7 (30.4%) | 11 (45.8%) | 2 (10.5%) | |
| Other | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (8.7%) | 4 (16.7%) | 3 (15.8%) | |
| Time caregiving, years§ | 1 (0-2) | 1 (0-3) | 1 (1-3)* | 2 (0-3)* | |
| Currently working | 4 (15.4%) | 6 (26.1%)* | 12 (50.0%)* ** | 12 (63.2%)* ** *** | |
| Reduced working time | 3 (11.5%) | 12 (52.1%)* | 14 (58.3%)* ** | 12 (63.2%)* ** *** | |
| Impact on the household economy | 4 (15.4%) | 12 (52.2%)* | 15 (62.5%)* ** | 13 (68.4%)* ** *** | |
| Family support | 7 (26.9%) | 6 (26.1%) | 11 (45.8%)* | 4 (21.1%) | |
| External support for caring | 14 (53.89%) | 11 (47.8%) * | 7 (29.2%)* ** | 4 (21.1%)* ** *** | |
| Reduced entertainment time | 18 (69.3%) | 23 (100.0%)* | 23 (95.8%)* | 19 (100.0%)* | |
| Self-perception of impaired health | 13 (50.0%) | 21 (91.3%)* | 24 (100.0%)* | 19 (100.0%)* | |
| Availability of second caregiver | 5 (19.2%) | 14 (60.9%)* | 21 (87.5%)* ** | 17 (89.5%)* ** *** | |
| Beck Depression Index, points§ | 8 (4-19) | 19 (7-25)* | 29 (9-39)* ** | 34 (21-41)* ** | |
| Consequences of care on caregiver (S1), points | 6 (0-14) | 16 (10-30)* | 27 (18-36)* ** | 33 (28-37)* ** *** | |
| Beliefs and expectations about ability to care (S2), points | 4 (0-9) | 8 (0-14)* | 15.5 (8-21)* ** | 21 (16-24)* ** *** | |
| Relationship between caregiver and patient (S3), points | 2 (0-5) | 6 (4-11)* | 10 (5-15)* ** | 13 (10-16)* ** *** | |
§
Data are expressed as median (minimum and maximum values);
*
p-value for the comparison with the little or no burden group;
**
p-value for the comparison with the mild to moderate burden group;
***
pvalue for the comparison with the moderate to severe burden group; S1-S3: Sub-tests of the Zarit test.