Lai Carlo, Cipriani Marta, Renzi Alessia, Luciani Massimiliano, Lombardo Luigi, Aceto Paola
1 Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
2 Psychiatry and Psychology Institute, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2018 Sep;35(9):1188-1194. doi: 10.1177/1049909118766316. Epub 2018 Mar 26.
Caring for a patient with Alzheimer disease (AD) represents a real challenge that can have considerable long-term psychological and physical consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the perception of being recognized on both the psychophysical health and the level of burden reported in caregivers of patients with AD. The secondary aim was to evaluate the association between the use of a home care assistance service and the burden and psychophysical health in caregivers. The Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and a visual analog scale (VAS) to evaluate the level of perception of being recognized were administered to 31 caregivers of patients with AD. Data were also collected from patients with AD using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The level of perception of being recognized was significantly and negatively correlated with total burden ( r = -0.36; P = .045) and objective burden ( r = -0.53; P = .002). It was also significantly and positively correlated with the MMSE score ( r = 41; P = .02). Regression models showed that only the perception of being recognized, and not MMSE, significantly predicted lower caregiver objective burden scores. Furthermore, the use of a home care assistance service significantly predicted higher caregiver physical functioning. The perception of being recognized by an AD relative significantly predicted the caregiver's objective burden associated with a shortage of time. The use of a home care assistance service also resulted in a promotion in the caregiver's social functioning. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.
照顾阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者是一项真正的挑战，可能会产生相当大的长期心理和身体影响。本研究的目的是评估被认可感对AD患者照料者的身心健康及报告的负担水平的影响。次要目的是评估使用家庭护理援助服务与照料者的负担及身心健康之间的关联。对31名AD患者的照料者进行了照料者负担量表（CBI）、36项简短健康调查（SF - 36）以及用于评估被认可感水平的视觉模拟量表（VAS）。还使用简易精神状态检查表（MMSE）从AD患者那里收集了数据。被认可感水平与总负担（r = -0.36；P = 0.045）和客观负担（r = -0.53；P = 0.002）显著负相关。它还与MMSE评分显著正相关（r = 0.41；P = 0.02）。回归模型显示，只有被认可感，而非MMSE，能显著预测较低的照料者客观负担得分。此外，使用家庭护理援助服务能显著预测较高的照料者身体功能。被AD患者亲属认可的感觉能显著预测照料者与时间短缺相关的客观负担。使用家庭护理援助服务还能促进照料者的社交功能。需要进一步研究来证实这些结果。
