Effects of Social Support Levels and Caregiver Burden on Quality of Life of Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

Authors : Ercüment ERBAY, Buğra YILDIRIM, Hakan BAYDUR

Pages : 478-486

View : 49 | Download : 15

Publication Date : 2021-09-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objective: There is an increasing emphasis on the quality of life of caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients since caregive for Alzheimer’s patients has significant negative consequences from physical and psychiatric aspects. The purpose of this study was to explain the effects of social support and caregiving burden on each domain of the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: This study employed a simple random convenience sampling design. Results: The vast majority of caregivers were female (71.5%), and their average age was 41.8±11.5 years. Caregivers’ mean social support score was 1.80±1.03. In the univariate analysis, social support positively affected quality of life. However, this effect was not observed in the multivariate analysis. In both the univariate and multivariate analyses, caregivers’ quality of life decreased with an increase in caregiving burden (p<0.001). There was a worsening of 7-9% in all domains of quality of life in response to each unit increase in caregiving burden. Conclusion: Caregiving and QOL are associated; QOL is affected by the increase in caregiving burden depending on the severity of the disease of the person receiving care. This idea is consistent with the results of the present study showing that each unit increase in caregiving burden causes a decrease in QOL. The findings of this study emphasize the necessity of accounting for caregiving burden in all dimensions of quality of life while evaluating the relationships between quality of life and some psychosocial characteristics of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Keywords : Alzheimers, caregivers, social support, caregiving burden, quality of life

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