The Study Of Psychosocial Stress Including Quality Of Life In Care Givers Of Patients Of Dementia

Abstract

Introduction: The number of patients with dementia worldwide is estimated to be approximately 55 million, with nearly 10 million new cases reported each year. The concept of quality of life has received great attention from healthcare providers and health administration, due to the underlined importance of evaluating or determining the general health status of individuals suffering from chronic illness. Dementia is a chronic disorder of the brain that affects cognitive performance. The caregivers of individuals with dementia experience a greater burden that affects their Quality of Life (QoL).

Aim and Objective: The study of psychosocial stress including quality of life in care givers of patients of dementia

Material and Methods: This was a Hospital based out Patient Department (OPD) study carried out in the Department of Geriatric for a period of 12 months i.e,  February 2023 to Febsuary 2024 where index cases were the consecutive cases of dementia, attending to Psychiatry OPD at a tertiary care centre. Caregivers (Key and Other) of patients of Dementia were identified. These caregivers were assessed and compared for psychosocial stress and quality of life amongst them due to care giving. The diagnosis of dementia was made by one of the supervisors on the basis of ICD-10 DCR.

Results: In the present study most of the key caregivers (40%) reported some stress and strain followed by moderate stress (36%) and severe stress (12%) in care giving. Similar was pattern of reporting by other care givers. Most of the key care givers (40%) reported feeling mild depressive mood followed by non significant depressive mood (32%). The gold standard interview revealed that majority of the key care givers (52%) suffered with depression followed by sub syndromal mental health problem (20%) and mixed anxiety depression (16%). Eight percent patient of the key care givers were found to be suffering with anxiety disorders. Amongs to ther care givers,majority(61.8%)reported having no psychiatric morbidity followed by depressive disorder (20.6%) and sub-syndromal mental health problems (11.8%). It was also observed that amongst the caregivers who were diagnosed to be suffering with depression, majority of the key caregivers (53.8%) and other care givers (71.4%) had mild level of depression. Most of the key caregivers (64%) reported severe level of burden followed by moderate burden (36%). All the key care givers reported experiencing burden in care giving. On the other hand the majority of other care givers (85.4%) reported experiencing moderate burden followed by sever burden (8.8%) and no burden (5.8%) on Burden Assessment Schedule.

Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are the most common affective neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia of individuals. Therefore, caregiver subjective health is an important factor to consider in order to reduce caregiver burden. The result of the present study provides a broad picture of the need to support and educate both families and caregivers of the elderly with dementia in the community.