Dementia patients caregivers quality of life: the PIXEL study
Corresponding Author
Philippe Thomas
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
University Department of Psychogeriatrics, 15 rue du Dr Marcland, CH Esquirol, 87025, Limoges, France.Search for more papers by this authorFabrice Lalloué
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorPierre-Marie Preux
Functional Unit of Biostatistics and Clinic Research, CHU Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorSylvie Pariel
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorRobcis Inscale
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorJoël Belmin
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorJean-Pierre Clément
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Philippe Thomas
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
University Department of Psychogeriatrics, 15 rue du Dr Marcland, CH Esquirol, 87025, Limoges, France.Search for more papers by this authorFabrice Lalloué
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorPierre-Marie Preux
Functional Unit of Biostatistics and Clinic Research, CHU Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorSylvie Pariel
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorRobcis Inscale
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorJoël Belmin
Geriatrics Unit, Ivry Hospital Center, Ivry, France
Search for more papers by this authorJean-Pierre Clément
University Department of Psychogeriatrics & Memory Clinic CH Limoges, France
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
Alzheimer's disease and related syndromes have heavy social and human consequences for the patient and his family. Beyond the neuropsychiatric effects of specific therapies for dementia, one of today's challenges is the quality of life for both patients and their informal caregivers.
Objectives
This survey tends to determine parameters influencing caregivers' quality of life, and its possible link with patients' quality of life.
Methods
A scale measuring caregivers' quality of life, developed from data from previous PIXEL studies was used. It is a questionnaire composed of 20 items. The scale was related to the socio-demographic data of both patients and their main caregivers, to the ADRQL scale (Alzheimer Disease Related Quality Life) of Rabins for the QoL of dementia patients, to the patients medical and therapeutic data, specially a neuropsychological inventory: Folstein's cognition test, Cornell's depression scale, the fast battery of frontal assessment, Katz's dependence index, Cummings' neuropsychiatric inventory for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and to a physician evaluation of caregiver's depression.
Results
One hundred patients diagnosed with dementia who live at home with their principal caregivers were recruited for this survey. Patients were 80.2 ± 6.8 years old and caregivers were 65.7 ± 12.8 years old. The caregivers' quality of life was correlated to the quality of life of the patients they cared for, the importance of behavioral disorders, and the duration of dementia evolution. Women caregivers had a worse quality of life and were more depressive than men.
Discussion
Caregivers' and patients' quality of life are related and both share a community of distress. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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